Bleached
by the-zombie-diaries
Summary: Emily and Heather were two ordinary women with major obsessions. But what happens when their obsession becomes reality? These two goofs find themselves in a Bleach AU. This mostly takes place in the Soul Society. All characters are involved! Lots of HUMOR, bits of ROMANCE, a tinge of TRAGEDY! Mayuri K./OC, Shunsui K./OC, K. Zaraki/OC, and a few other couples. R&R.
1. Halloween

**Chapter 1:**

Halloween

It was anything but a normal day for these two friends. First and foremost, it was the best day of the whole year—Halloween. Emily and Heather were simultaneously dressing for their friend's annual Halloween party. Every year the party was a smash and both of them would have a great time. Heather was in her room trying to figure out how to tie her belt the proper way to make it look authentic. Her younger sister kept popping her head in to see how progress was going. "Jenny, get out!" Heather snapped for the fifth time today. Everything was not going according to plan. She was already running late, kept on misplacing things, and could not get her makeup right. Luckily, for her, she had already dyed her hair a bright teal color, to her mother's dismay.

Emily was putting on the perfect shade of red eye shadow and lipstick. She already had her outfit complete and her hair styled. However orderly everything seemed, it was not. Emily was anxious as all hell. She wanted this Halloween to be perfect. She struggled with her hair and the makeup she was now applying. Not to mention she was sweating like a pig. "Shit!" she bellowed. Emily could not get her fake eyelashes to stay on and in a frenzy she ripped them off. The blonde-haired woman picked up her phone. She texted Heather, "I'm leaving now" and her friend's response was the letter 'k'.

"Hey, pretty lady. You need a ride?" said Emily as the car door opened. "Yes!" laughed Heather as she jumped into the passenger seat. "Don't you look lovely." the teal-haired woman stated once she put her seat belt on and looked at the driver. "Thanks, baby." Emily grinned at her closest friend, "You all ready to have some fun?" Heather responded, "Hell yeah!" The blonde-haired woman put the car in drive and stepped on the gas. As they headed down the road Heather inquired, "I forgot to ask, did you write anything?"

"No, but I've been doing a lot of thinking about Silent Hill. I'm might try writing but I don't know. Did you do anything?" the driver looked at her friend as they came to a red light. "Yeah, I edited some Kingdom Hearts stuff we wrote. I had another idea about Vexen." Heather smiled wickedly causing Emily to burst out into a fit of laughter. "Oh, God," she took a breath and continued, "You mean with—"


	2. Unpleasant Surprise

**Chapter 2:**

(Un)pleasant Surprise

Her eyes shot open, "What the?" She sat up and looked around the unfamiliar room she was in. The teal-haired woman saw her friend in a bed nearby, sleeping peacefully. "Hey, Emily, wake up." she spoke softly at first but got no result. "Emily, wake up!" she raised her voice and still nothing. She took a pillow from her bed and threw it at the slumbering blonde-haired woman. "Ahh, what?" Emily stirred awake and moved the pillow off her face. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty." her friend greeted her with a slight hint of frustration in her voice. "Heather?" Emily asked as she looked around, "What are you doing here? Where are we?" "That's what I'd like to know!" Heather answered to no avail. Emily sat up and yawned, "This place looks familiar." "You've been here before?" the teal-haired woman questioned. "No, but I swear I've seen it before. It looks like some kind of…hospital." Emily replied somewhat grimly. Heather's heart stopped and she turned pale, "Oh, God…I was afraid you were going to say something like that."

"Wait a second," Emily looked at herself then back at her friend, "What happened to us?" The blonde-haired woman had a cast and a sling on her left arm. She felt a bandage on her forehead and groaned; it was tender to the touch. "Looks like you got banged up," Heather smirked and waved her right hand, "I just got a little cast." "You don't remember what happened?" Emily asked. The teal-haired woman responded loudly, "Nope, but I'm getting the hell out of here!" She ripped the blanket off her to reveal both of her legs to be in casts. She was silent. "Jesus!" Emily looked at her friend's injuries, "How do we not remember that?" "This is really fucked up, man…" Heather whispered, still in horror of her legs. The blonde-haired woman lifted the blanket off herself and found her legs unharmed. She sighed in relief.

Emily looked back at her unusually quiet friend, "Dude, we need to think. What do you last remember?" "I…I don't know." the teal-haired woman forced herself to take her eyes away from her legs. Her nerves were shot and she felt like she was going to puke. Emily leaned back in the bed and looked up at the ceiling, pondering in silence. Her eyes widened suddenly and she turned back to Heather, "It was Halloween!" The other woman got some color back in her face, "Oh, yeah. Matt's party." Emily went on, "Yeah, yeah! I picked you up from your house and we were heading to Matt's." "What happened next?" Heather asked. "I don't know." the blonde-woman continued, "You asked me…if I wrote anything." The other added, "You said no but you were thinking about Silent Hill." "That's right, and you said you were thinking about Vexen when—" Emily was cut off by her friend. She questioned, desperate for answers, "When what?" "I said you mean with the lemon you'd been talking about…" Emily trailed on and off as she recollected, "When the light turned green…and I stepped on the gas to go…then out of the corner of my eye I saw a truck coming…a big truck…it didn't stop…" "We're not dead, are we?" Heather asked in complete seriousness. Emily snapped out of her semi-trance, "No! We wouldn't have broken limbs then!" "Oh, right." The teal-haired woman laughed. "Shut up, I hear something." Emily said quietly, listening carefully to the patter of footsteps approaching the room. The door slid open and it was a woman. She had her black hair in a long braid fashioned over her chest. She had kind eyes and a soft smile.

She looked too familiar. The two girls' eyes bugged out of their heads. Heather blurted out, "What the hell did they give us? I swear I'm seeing Unohana in that doorway!" "You're not the only one…" Emily muttered. "That would be me, Captain Unohana." the woman smiled and went on, "How are you two feeling? You haven't been asleep very long since we found you." Emily inquired, "Found us?" Unohana answered, "You were found unconscious near the Third Division in false uniforms and without Zanpakutō. We are still trying to find your identities." "What?" Emily chuckled. Heather suddenly snapped, "Alright, where are the cameras? Because this bullshit has gone on long enough!" The outburst caused the older woman to raise an eyebrow then quickly return to her usual smile as she gently scolded, "That kind of language is not tolerated in my presence. And there is no video surveillance in the Fourth Division, so you need not worry." The two women became silent.

After a few moments Emily spoke up, "Heather, I'm gonna' sound like a nut job but I really don't think this is a joke. That was way too realistic…" "You think this is some kind of joke? You two are being charged with impersonating Soul Reaper Captains, which is a very serious offence." the black-haired woman asked as if she did not understand what was so funny. "Until you mentioned it like that, yes. Either that, or the morphine might be talking." Heather said weakly, having reality finally hit her. Unohana replied softly, hating to be the bearer of bad news, "Well this certainly isn't a joke at all, nor do I permit morphine usage." Emily cleared her throat, looked to her friend then back at the woman, "At the risk of sounding like a complete retard and facing future humiliation, Captain Unohana, I think this is a huge misunderstanding." The black-haired woman inquired, "You think?" "Well, the thing we last remember was driving to our friend's Halloween party." Emily explained. Heather added, not believing what her friend was doing, "If you don't have video then you're gonna' want an audio recording of this. It's a doozy."

Unohana asked with a hint of confusion in her voice, "Halloween?" "Yeah." the blonde-haired woman clarified, "You know the holiday celebrated every October Thirty-first? Pumpkins…and stuff?" Heather responded before Unohana could answer, "I think she's been alive long enough to know what Halloween is, Ems." "I know what Halloween is." the black-haired woman added, "It is a holiday not normally celebrated in the Soul Society." Emily continued, "Well, you see…we aren't really from the Soul Society…or this…universe for that matter." Unohana paused then stated, "So you think you are aliens..." "No, no!" Emily panicked, "You don't understand—it's not like that!" "So you broke into the Seireitei…" the older woman tried to make sense of the situation. "What? No! It was all an accident. We don't know how we got here, we just know we didn't do anything wrong!" Emily exclaimed. "Having this conversation alone means we're in trouble." the teal haired woman pointed out unnecessarily, leaning back into the cot throwing her broken arm over her eyes, "Wake me when this disaster's over with." "Dude, you're not helping!" Emily could not help but to yell at her support-lacking friend.

Unohana cleared her throat and stated, "I think we need to adjust both your medications…" "So we _are_ being drugged?" Heather asked lifting her arm to look at the older woman properly. "No! Captain, please! Listen to me!" Emily begged the older woman whom shook her head. "I think I've heard enough." Unohana replied as she was about to leave. "Okay. Let's try this out for size—about a hundred and ten years ago when Kisuke Urahara was going to be introduced as captain, you walked up behind captains Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake, when one of them commented on going through captains like 'toilet paper'. Is that proof enough, Madam?" Heather challenged in a bored tone, causing the black-haired woman to stop in her tracks.

"That was in the First Division before a captains meeting…how did you know that?" Unohana asked turning to face them, looking bewildered. "See! We would be crazy if we didn't know anything." Emily pointed out eagerly, "We can name of things off the top of our heads that would make your head spin!" "By the way, you look absolutely fabulous in a swimsuit." The teal-haired woman added. Her friend retorted with a dirty look, "That's not exactly helpful." "I have never worn a swimsuit before." Unohana stated and inquired, "How would you know how it looked?"

"Man, you can't just go around saying things that happen in the future." Emily snapped at the other woman, "You'll make her head explode!" "Can't anyone take a compliment now-a-days?" Heather groaned, not enjoying the seriousness of the situation. "It's not the same!" Emily hollered. "Wait." Unohana stopped them from bickering, "You both know what happens in the future?" Instead of answering, Heather continued, "I was gonna' say fan art as an excuse, but now that the cat's outta' the bag." "We only know some information and only up to a certain point in time…We don't know everything." Emily sighed then continued with the explanation, "We're from a universe where you and this whole place are fictional figments of the imagination of this guy, Tite Kubo. He's probably made millions off of everything that you know." Unohana looked weary, "I think I need to sit down for a little while."

"Now look at what you did, ya' broke her." Heather accused. "No. I'll be fine." the black-haired woman said pulling out a pair of needles, "I have a meeting to go to so, I'll give you both something to go back to sleep." "You'll have better luck with a bottle of chloroform." Heather retorted. Unohana smiled kindly, "It's perfectly harmless." "It's a freakin' foreign object entering my blood stream!" the teal-haired woman exclaimed, "How is it harmless?" "It's just a needle." Unohana stated and her smile began to fade at Heather's antics. "More like a ten foot pole." The younger woman replied. "Oh, so your one of those people." Unohana stated and tried to calm Heather down, "Alright, just look away and this will be over quickly." She groaned and reluctantly gave the healer her left arm. Heather turned her head away, "What are you waiting for, Christmas? Get it over with." "I'm already finished." Unohana assured, "Now just relax." As the reply left her lips, the teal-haired woman passed out. Unohana turned to Emily, "I hope you handle this better than your friend."

"Yeah, but fair warning, I don't have any veins in my arms." Emily explained earning an odd expression from Unohana. "I beg your pardon?" Unohana asked and walked up to Emily's bedside and gently tapped her arm. After seeing that her vein did not rise after the contact did she say, "So you have thin veins." "Pretty much. My doctor usually draws blood through my hand." the young woman explained as the healer took hold and attempted to find a decent vein. The needle punctured the skin and Emily hissed at the expected pain. "My apologies." Unohana said sincerely. The blonde-haired woman stated, "It's okay." She felt the drug already taking effect and fell asleep as she saw the puncture wound being bandaged.


	3. Accusations

**Chapter 3:**

Accusations

"_Now look at what you did, ya' broke her_—_"_ The tape cut off when she clicked the stop button. "That is all the information I have." Unohana stated. The entire room of captains stood there in silent shock. "Well, that was unexpected…" Ukitake said in a flustered manor. "And we're supposed to believe these two?" Hitsugaya inquired, "What? Did they fall on their heads as well, Unohana?" The female captain responded, "Not exactly. The injuries they sustained are not life threatening, nor did it cause any brain trauma." "Are you saying you believe them?" Aizen retorted. "No. I am saying the girls' story is farfetched but plausible." Unohana continued, "We have encountered stranger things throughout the years." "Don't be ridiculous!" Kurotsuchi bellowed, "That has to be the craziest thing I have ever heard! I say we open their skulls and see what REAL information we can find!" "Now, now, Mayuri." Ichimaru grinned, "Don't you think you are being a bit rash?" "How dare you address me by anything other than Captain Kurotsuchi!" the painted captain fumed.

"Enough!" Yamamoto interjected loudly causing all of the captains to regain their bearings and returned their attention to him, "There should be a compromise between the two. Captain Kurotsuchi will take custody of the sane one; it should be proven much easier to get information out of. Captain Unohana, see what you can do to stabilize the other." The painted man looked smug while the woman just answered, "Yes, Head-Captain." "Excuse me, Head Captain, but maybe we should reconsider. The challenged one may have even more trouble recuperating in the psych ward. Perhaps we should move her to another environment?" Aizen suddenly spoke up. Captain Yamamoto replied, "It is already decided, the troubled child will stay with Captain Unohana and the other will be handed over to Captain Kurotsuchi. After they are both assessed, I shall determine where they will be permanently placed."

Aizen was silent and the Head-Captain went on, "Now that there is no other subject to address, this captains meeting is dismissed." Once Unohana reached the large doors, the scientist approached. "It seems that you have your work cut out for you this time, Unohana." Kurotsuchi gloated. The female captain retorted, "It's nothing I cannot handle, Captain Kurotsuchi. Will you get her now, or send your lieutenant for her?"


	4. Truth: Part I

**Chapter 4:**

Truth

(Part I)

Emily awoke in a chair with her legs and arms bound. She was still and silent but her mind was mess. Instantly a voice spoke, "Good, you're awake. Now we can begin the procedure." Unfortunately, she recognized the voice and almost knew exactly what it was talking about. A man with a painted face came into view. "Are you ready?" Kurotsuchi smiled wickedly. "No." Emily squeaked. "Well, that's too bad because we are just about to get started." he chuckled like a mad man as he reached over to the counter nearby and grabbed an electric shaver. Turning the shaver on, it made sickening buzzing sound as he approached her. "Can't we talk about this, please?" Emily nearly begged as tears started to well up in her eyes. Kurotsuchi grinned and waved his index finger in response, "No. I'm afraid there is no talking now. I have orders from the Head-Captain to do with you what I please."

The man drew closer to her side, the shaver still in hand. "Wait, wait!" tears started to pour down Emily's face, "Please! For the love of God, don't shave my head!" "Crying over such a trivial thing." Kurotsuchi scoffed, "Are you even concerned about what I'm going to do after I remove your hair?" "Yes! Yes I am! So please, just listen to me for a second." Emily cried as the electric shaver inched closer and closer to her head. "Kisuke Urahara!" she screamed. The buzzing suddenly stopped. "What did you say?" Kurotsuchi whispered in disbelief. "Do you remember, a hundred years ago, when Urahara came to your cell in the Maggot's Nest? He asked you if you wanted to leave that place. You said he was 'an unpleasant man' and refused." Emily continued, still sniffling, "He explained to you about how he was going to create the Research and Development Institute. Urahara wanted you to be Vice-President and mentioned that if he died it would all be yours."

There was silence and Kurotsuchi's mouth was ajar. "Are you a spy—who hired you?" the captain hollered and put down the electric razor. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently, "Who are you working for?" "No one, I swear! Everything I said is the truth! Where I come from you're fictional character in a story— nothing more. Heather and I know all about you and the rest of the people from this universe." Emily yelled back, tears still streaming down her face. "You are a liar!" Kurotsuchi pulled a syringe from his pocket and quickly injected it into her neck. "Ow! What was that? What did you do to me?" the woman yelped. "I'm tired of your lies and this," he held up the syringe to show her, "will allow you to spew nothing but the truth. And I will know _all_ your secrets, you spy!"

Emily's eyes started to lull in her head, "You idiot…I'm not a spy." The drug was starting to take effect. "Then what are you?" Kurotsuchi bellowed. The woman replied, "Human—" "Why are you here?" he continued to question. "I have no idea—" Emily responded, as the room began to spin. Kurotsuchi pried, "What do you want?" "Nothing—" Emily answered. "How do you know about Kisuke Urahara?" the captain interrogated her as he circled the room. The woman stated simply, "I read it in Bleach—" "What on earth does chlorinated detergent have to do with this?" Kurotsuchi stopped in his tracks. "It's a manga—" Emily nearly slurred. The captain walked over to the woman and asked, "What?" "You're Mayuri Kurotsuchi—born in March—Aries—father of Nemu Kurotsuchi—super hot—" she was on a roll. "Excuse me?" Kurotsuchi almost fell over. "I would let you take me," Emily continued, "and have your way with me." "What the hell?" the captain yelled in shock. The blonde-haired woman ignored the man, "Without your makeup you are _so_ cute and you have a nice ass." "I think we're done here." Kurotsuchi stated and pulled out another syringe from his pocket. He immediately stuck it in her arm. Within moments, Emily was asleep. The Captain stood there staring at her for a few moments with a slight blush forming under his makeup.


	5. Reality

**Chapter 5:**

Reality

Heather woke up shaking her head. "What a nightmare…" she remarked then looked around. The scenery had changed but not by much. The young woman asked aloud, "Where the hell am I now?" "The psych ward of the Fourth division." Unohana said from her seat next to Heather's bedside. "Oh, great! My best-est best friend!" she replied in a falsely overjoyed voice, "What the hell am I doing in the loony section of your hospital?" "I think it would be beneficial if you settled down. I know this is a lot to take in." Unohana advised. "Well, excuse me for being a bit of a bitch. I've been thought of as a problem before, just never made it here." Heather stated while biting her lower lip. Nervously she attempted to curl up but stopped halfway wincing at the pain in her legs. "I'm sorry I startled you." the older woman replied, "I'm merely following orders."

"Is Emily in another room?" the teal-haired patient asked. Unfortunately, that was the last thing Unohana wanted to answer. She inquired, "How much do you know about Captain Kurotsuchi?" "You mean the humanitarian?" Heather asked smirking, "What about the psychopath? Don't tell me you had to give her to that lunatic?" Unohana cleared her throat, "Please refrain from insulting any member of the Gotei 13, especially a captain." "Oh, my God!" the teal-haired woman exclaimed, "You did, didn't you?" "Apparently, you don't miss much." Unohana responded softly. "You never answered my question; dead giveaway. My family always pulls it when they don't like answering something." Heather replied modestly. The black-haired woman replied, "I see." "Yeah." the younger woman went on, "Well, why does she have to be there in the first place?"

"Why don't we just worry about you for the time being?" Unohana offered. Heather sighed and asked, "What do you want to hear?" "I beg your pardon?" the captain inquired not following what she was talking about. "What do you want hear?" Heather went on a tirade, "he walls are closing in around me—I had a bad childhood—The voices are telling me to take over the Seireitei with a super soaker and a rusty spoon—What do you want?" "I don't want anything of the sort." the Fourth Division Captain tried to reason with the young woman. Heather nearly screamed, "Then what am I doing here?" "Actually that's what I'd like to know." Unohana stated softly once more.

"Did I really lose my mind this time?" Heather asked herself as she leaned against the headboard. "This time?" the older woman inquired. "You're not supposed to be here!" Heather replied and questioned, "How come I'm seeing you? Why are you talking to me? I thought the therapy helped..." "Therapy?" the captain repeated now thoroughly getting lost. "Go away." The teal-haired woman demanded, "I don't want to be the weird kid anymore." "Did you ever feel them? The people, or things you seen, did they touch you?" Unohana pressed the subject. "Shut up and go away!" Heather hollered, "You're not real!" "Answer me." the captain was firm and tried to find a way to convince her she was very much real. "I want to help you..." Unohana assured as she reached out to touch her shoulder. To her surprise and relief the young patient did not flinch, or attack. Heather looked at her and used her good arm to touch her hand, "So you are real..."

"You didn't believe it earlier?" Unohana asked with a slight smile. "Nope. Can you blame me? I mean, this makes absolutely no sense. I thought that I was having a really, really messed up dream." Heather smiled in return out of relief. "So do you have any idea what happened to get you here?" the older woman inquired. "Emily said something about us getting hit." Heather explained while lifting her broken arm to observe it, "Something tells me she's right. Sure wish I knew more." She looked to Unohana who was silent. "Sorry…I know it sounds stupid but that's all I have to go by. I have the attention span of a goldfish sometimes." Heather said nonchalantly as she ruffled her hair. The captain instructed, "No more jokes, please."

"I wish I were." the teal-haired woman stated and her smile faded. The healer gave her an odd look and continued, "What was this thing that hit you two?" "I dunno'…a truck?" Heather pondered. "That can't be right." Unohana shook her head in disbelief. "Unless we were hit so hard that we were forced through the space-time continuum and merged with a wormhole that took us here." Heather thought hard for a moment, "Okay…time to throw those books away." Unohana looked at the Heather with her mouth slightly ajar before saying, "I'll be back." "Wait, you're gonna leave me alone in Toon Town?" Heather panicked. "Don't worry, you'll be moved soon." the captain assured her, "I just have to speak with someone."


	6. Speculations

**Chapter 6:**

Speculations

"Impossible!" Kurotsuchi huffed at the female captain. The rest of the captains looked confused. "It's the only thing that makes sense so far." Unohana explained ignoring his annoyed expression. Before Kurotsuchi could retort, Yamamoto cleared his throat, "Then that wormhole would have a reishi converter which would allow them to be here without being torn apart." The room was silent. Unohana spoke up, "True, but their alive and besides a few broken bones, in one piece." Kurotsuchi went on, "By definition, they would no longer be human at this point." Shunsui inquired, "They wouldn't just become one of us after all of this though, would they?" "If they develop such things as spirit energy," Kurotsuchi pondered aloud, "we would have to consider these intruders as hybrids between a more alien species of what we consider human and ourselves. What an interesting situation..."


	7. Lab Rat: Part I

**Chapter 7:**

Lab Rat

(Part I)

Emily stirred awake in a cot. A great bright light show through her eyelids, she had to force her eyes open. "Wh—where am I?" The blonde-haired woman questioned aloud. "Oh, you're awake." said a voice from within the room. Emily looked around the white room and found nothing but a speaker. Suddenly one of the walls of the room became transparent. On the other side, she could see the Captain of the Twelfth Division and his lieutenant standing side by side. "Well, I was going to start experimenting on you but I've been called to another meeting." Kurotsuchi stated, "So our fun will have to wait." Emily walked over to the glass wall and stared. The captain ignored her, wrote a few things down, and pressed a few buttons before leaving. "Nemu, watch the girl." Kurotsuchi ordered. The lieutenant bowed, "Yes, Master Mayuri…"

"So…it's just you and me now, Nemu." Emily gave the black-haired woman a look. "Yes…" Nemu replied. They stared blankly at each other before Emily came up with a brilliant idea. "Hey! So, Nemu, Mayuri's at a Captains Meeting?" the young woman asked suspiciously. "Yes…" Nemu answered simply. "Why don't we crash that party?" Emily inquired excitedly.


	8. Interrogation

**Chapter 8:**

Interrogation

Unohana walked the younger woman into the Captains Meeting room and motioned her to kneel right next to her feet. The healer whispered, "I'm sorry that this has to be done but we all need answers and the Head-Captain asked for you specifically." "Why me?" Heather asked almost terrified. "That's enough for right now." Unohana told the other as more captains filed in and glued their curious stares on the intruding female.

"Well, well, she doesn't look that delusional. Captain Kurotsuchi must be mistaken." Ichimaru smirked as he looked her over. Heather looked at the man not knowing what to say to him. The very idea of meeting these people still freaked her out, thankfully not as bad as when she first laid eyes on Unohana.

She nodded and looked around at the other faces. Some looked at her as if they did not know what to think of her, others watched her as if she were doing something wrong. Heather breathed in deeply, she was nervous with all these eyes on her. She kept her eyes to the ground knowing who was to her far right. "It's alright, you know." the voice of Ukitake spoke to her in a kind tone, "As long as you keep to the truth, you have nothing to fear." The teal-haired woman gave him a halfhearted smile trying to fight staring at him. He looked even better looking in person, in her opinion. She turned away quickly to hide the blush forming on her face. "It's kinda' hard to find a happy place when you're in my position." Heather tried to answer as evenly as possible.

The Head-Captain cleared his throat, which immediately silenced any upcoming conversations. Despite how much she would be kicking herself about the thought later, Heather wanted nothing more than to be somewhere else. Silent Hill sounded more promising now; at least she did not have to explain how she got there. The woman would end up finding it out herself and how her own unknown weakness drew her to the town. Heather lightly huffed at her own luck as the thought surfaced in her mind. The old man looked her over with a no-nonsense expression. Heather looked back wide-eyed and almost oblivious to what was about to happen. The Head-Captain's voice was strict as he asked her, "Do you know why you are here, woman?" "Not really, sir." Heather said feeling a little too formal for her own skin, "I guess to be questioned. I don't understand why though. I gave you guys everything I know."

"Lies!" Kurotsuchi exclaimed causing a great deal of eyes upon him. "Where could I possibly slip up where Emily hadn't already explained?" Heather challenged, immediately offended by the outburst, "I don't lie about stuff like this." "You know more than you're letting on about!" the scientist accused. "And those two had explained that to me when they were first interrogated," Unohana defended then continued, "I believe it would be unwise to press them with questions concerning the future."

There was a pause as if the captains were trying to comprehend the situation at hand. Kuchiki suddenly spoke up, "And why is that?" Heather stared at the man for a moment, having never recalled him speaking at a meeting. "Have you ever seen a movie, or read a book, with a similar situation involved?" the teal-haired woman inquired. "Obviously not." Soifon sneered. "That question was rhetorical." Heather gave the captain a look before continuing, "Any who, every time this kind of thing happens it's usually back in time. However, Emily and I are in the present of your universe that we already know the future of…I hope that makes some kind of sense…" "So our present is your past?" Hitsugaya questioned. The young woman replied, "Book-wise, yes." "So that's what that twit was blabbering on about…" Kurotsuchi added.

"So you didn't kill her!" Heather suddenly exclaimed in happiness that her friend was alive. Kyōraku joined in, "Hey, now…we wouldn't let Kurotsuchi get away with something like that." "It's true." Ukitake added. Kurotsuchi gave the young woman a dirty look. "Alrighty then." Heather huffed and changed the subject, not wanting to make their heads explode, "What else do you guys need to know?" "Emily…she is your friend?" Aizen suddenly questioned. His voice sent chills down Heather's spine; he was even creepier in real life. She had a bad feeling about answering his question. "Yes'm." the young woman replied, trying to keep her cool. "You've failed to introduce yourself. What do we call you?" Ukitake smiled at Heather. She nearly fainted.

"I—I'm Heather." the teal-haired woman stuttered, "Nice to meet you?" "Pleasure." Kyōraku grinned and tipped his hat. Ukitake glanced at his friend and back at Heather, giving her a warm smile. "What kind of names are those?" Zaraki asked obnoxiously. "I think mine is English and Emily's is German…" the young woman replied nervously. "German! How fascinating!" Kurotsuchi fiddled with his hands in delight. "They're American." Yamamoto suddenly joined in the conversation and received looks from his fellow captains. "Yeah! That's the one!" Heather cheered.

"If you are American, what were you doing with a Captains haori and uniform?" Komamura inquired with suspicion. "They're not exactly hard to find if you know what you're doing." the teal-haired woman responded, "Like I said, in our world you all are very popular." "Do go on!" Ichimaru sounded giddy. "Well…there's a thing called 'cosplay' were people dress like you guys." Heather went on awkwardly, "Don't even get me started on fan fiction—" She was cut short by Tōsen, "I think we've heard enough…" Kyōraku laughed and Ukitake chuckled. "You're no fun, Tōsen." the Eighth Division Captain winked at Heather. She blushed and replied, "It's fine. None of you could look me in the eye if I explained…all that."

The Head-Captain cleared his throat, "The question is what to do with you." "Okay?" the young woman answered uncertainly. "Head-Captain," Unohana spoke up respectfully, "I believe that…Heather…will do better outside of the Fourth Division." "Clarify." Yamamoto asserted. The black-haired captain continued but trailed off, "She has a phobia of hospitals, which causes her…" "How should I put it?" Heather interjected, "You have to peal me off the ceiling…" "Very well, Captain Unohana." Yamamoto paused then added, "If that is what you wish, it will be granted." Aizen inquired, "Where will she go?" "I'll take her." Kyōraku answered in a matter-of-fact tone. Most of the captains chuckled at this request. Heather had to stifle herself.

"What?" Kyōraku smiled, having trouble taking the situation seriously. "Given your…disposition, I doubt you could handle something like this." Soifon abruptly snapped. Tōsen agreed, "Indeed. Someone responsible should guide her on the just path." "Why not you, Kaname?" Aizen asked politely. "What?" Tōsen spoke out of surprise, "I mean—I could accommodate her for a short period of time, perhaps, but—" "Then it is decided!" Yamamoto declared.


	9. Awkward

**Chapter 9:**

Awkward

Heather looked to Unohana for some form of emotional support, "Don't I get a say in this?" "Go on, he's not going to hurt you." the female captain stated with a light smile, "You should know that." The younger woman thought otherwise but replied with a halfhearted smile, "Yeah. The problem with manga is that you never truly know the people it's about." Unohana chuckled softly, "Don't tell me you had gotten shy all of a sudden?" Heather admitted that only in her thoughts. "I guess I'll live." she said outstretching her hand, "Thanks for the help." Unohana took her hand, "There is no need to thank me." "I know, but I want to." Heather replied.

Tōsen approached the two. "Are you ready to leave now?" the male captain asked somewhat kindly. Heather looked to Unohana one last time and received a reassuring look from the older woman. She turned to Tōsen, "Let's go." The two captains and Heather left together in silence. Outside of the First Division, they saw some kind of commotion. A few captains and other Soul Reapers speculated at the sight. "Who's that talking to Kenpa—oh, my God! It's Emily!" Heather ogled in shock and amusement.

She just stood there gawking at him, her face bright red. He looked down at her mildly confused at the expression on her features. "What?" Zaraki finally asked, being unused to the kind of attention he was gaining from the woman. She opened her mouth several times to speak but nothing but short inaudible stutters left her mouth. The noises did not last very long before the captain made a face at the awe-struck blonde-haired woman. Fortunately, Mayuri had not been out at that moment. Heather mentally face palmed. "You're blowin' it man!" she yelled out to her dazed friend hoping for a sign of life to return to her. Annoyed eyes targeted her but she ignored them with a wide smirk set on her face, knowing she and Emily will laugh about this later. More on the line of her laughing and Emily threatening her life if she did not shut up about it. "So she is the ward of Kurotsuchi?" Ukitake asked Heather. The teal-haired woman replied, "Yeah. That's Emily." "She's pretty cute." Kyōraku remarked. "Yeah. And she went and choked up." Heather retorted. "She seems nervous. Is she scared of him?" Unohana asked with concern. Heather tried to suppress a chuckle, "Not exactly…"

Zaraki got distracted for just a moment at Heather's yelling and shook his head. "I don't have time for this." Just as he was about to walk away did the teal-haired woman get fed up with her friend's speechlessness. Heather put her hands up to the sides of her mouth for a megaphone-like affect, "For the love of God, Emily! Tell him you love him!" Everyone stopped and looked at the teal-haired then to Emily and Zaraki. "What did she say?" Zaraki asked. Emily continued to gape, "I—I—I…" "What in the blazes are you doing?" Kurotsuchi yelled as he made his way over to Emily and Zaraki. The painted man hollered, "I thought I left you in the cell! Did Nemu let you out?" She continued to stutter and stare at the tall Soul Reaper. "What are you gawking at—" Kurotsuchi asked but stopped himself upon seeing Zaraki, "Oh, it's you." "Kurotsuchi, do you mind? She won't stop." Zaraki nearly pleaded with his fellow captain. Emily magically turned a darker shade of red but still stuttered incoherently.

Heather could not help but watch and feel helpless. The teal-haired woman stated, "Aw, man. That's not good." "Aren't you going to go help her?" Kyōraku inquired. "I think we both have had done too much already..." Heather trailed off. Tōsen spoke finally, grabbing her shoulder and gently pulling her away from the other captains, "We have to leave, Heather." The teal-haired woman protested, "You can't expect me to leave now that I screwed my friend over!" "It's best if you don't start any drama." Ukitake advised with a knowing expression. Kyōraku added, "If it makes you feel better, Jūshirō and I can try and smooth everything out." "Really?" Heather asked skeptically. "Not to worry, Heather. We'll take care of it." Ukitake smiled kindly at her.

Heather blushed once more before their moment was cut short by Kurotsuchi, "You! With the weird hair!" The woman could have killed someone. "What?" she turned and screamed at the man. "Fix her!" Kurotsuchi demanded, "She's disturbing everyone with her that crazed look in her eye!" Heather threw her arms out and yelled with frustration, "Just walk away, Kenpachi!" Zaraki gave the teal-haired woman a look then shrugged and left. Emily continued to stare at were Zaraki had been standing with the same look. Heather turned back to Ukitake and Kyōraku but realized they had walked over to Emily to try to fix things. Heather fumed silently. "Let's go." Tōsen patted the woman on the back and directed her in the opposite direction. "He's gone!" Kurotsuchi yelled, "Why are you still making that face?" "Relax, Mayuri…" Kyōraku tried to calm the annoyed captain. "Can't you see she's immobilized by love?" Ukitake added almost dreamily. The last thing Heather could hear as she walked away was Kurotsuchi yelling, "What?"


	10. Heartbroken

**Chapter 10:**

Heartbroken

She was in her room for days, moping. The man she had loved for years could not care less about her. Her most precious fantasy was crushed. Emily lied in her cot, ever so still, staring at closest white wall. The door to her cell opened somewhat obnoxiously. She did not move a muscle. She heard loud footsteps approach her then a face popped into her vision. "You're still upset over that buffoon?" Kurotsuchi taunted the distraught woman. Emily did not even look him in the eyes, "He's not a buffoon." She tried to raise her voice but failed miserably. "You're right! He's a brutish Neanderthal." She scowled and put her face in one of her pillows, "Shut up and leave me alone." Kurotsuchi prodded, "I don't understand you humans." Emily replied almost emotionlessly, "Me either." "You fall in love so easily." the captain continued and inquired, "What is love anyways?" "Something you'll never understand." the blonde-haired woman added but was ignored.

Kurotsuchi went on, "I mean you knew him less than a week and you proclaim your love for him like you're both soul mates. Where did that term come from anyways?" "I said just leave me alone, okay?" Emily took her head out of her pillow to yell at the man. "You don't dismiss me like I'm some common nitwit! I am Captain of the—" Kurotsuchi was interrupted by the younger woman. "Captain of the twelfth division—head of Research and Development—" Emily sneered, "Don't you think I know this? I mean I write about you. So just give it a rest..." The captain questioned, "What did you say you do?" "What?" the woman asked in confusion. "You said you write about me—What's that supposed to mean?" Kurotsuchi pressed. "Ugh!" Emily exclaimed then retorted, "I told you already, where I come from you're a fictional character from a series that I like. Of course you're going to be mentioned in one of my stories." "I see and what do these 'stories' say about me?" the painted man inquired smugly. "What a dick you are." Emily snapped viciously. "Fine then, you can go live with your lover, Zaraki." Kurotsuchi bullied her, "And see what he thinks. I bet you write all about him and how _wonderful_ he is. Oh, that's right! He doesn't seem to like you, _does he_?"

Emily eyes filled with tears instantly and she choked, "Fuck you." "You'd like that wouldn't you." Kurotsuchi replied. "Ugh! No!" the blonde-haired woman raised her voice in abhorrence, "You disgusting clown! Any of the other captains would be way better than you." The painted man spat back, "I'm sure they would want you just as much as Zaraki." Emily sat up and screamed at him, "Will you fucking stop, you psycho? Can't you see you're not helping?" "Who said I wanted to help _you_?" Kurotsuchi hollered back. The woman laughed mockingly, "Who said I wanted _your_ help?" The captain approached her with his hand raised, "Why you little—" "Oh, yeah! Go ahead! Hit me!" Emily challenged, "Shows what a real MAN you are—You fucking coward!"

"I have the right mind to kill you." Kurotsuchi sneered, "I bet no one would care, not even your little friend." She laughed aloud, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Yeah, you're right." The painted man paused and asked, "What?" "If the love of my life doesn't even love me why would my best friend, or anyone?" Emily tried to wipe her tears away to no avail. "He's not the love of your life, you fool!" Kurotsuchi bellowed, "You could do so much better than him!" There was an awkward silence. Emily paused and questioned the man, "What?" "I said he's not the love of your life, you twit." the captain folded his arms over his chest and glowered at her. "No." the blonde-haired woman replied, "You said something else after that…" "I did not. You're imagining things. I highly doubt your mental stability." Kurotsuchi rolled his eyes at her. "No, no." she pointed her finger at him, "You said…I could do better than him." The captain raised his voice with annoyance, "I did not, I tell you!" Emily smirked and wiped the tears from her face, "Wow, Mayuri…I never thought I'd see this side of you." "What are you talking about?" He took a step back defensively, unfolding his arms. "You actually said something nice to me. And you can lie all you want but I heard you, loud and clear." the woman retorted.

"I did nothing of the sort!" Kurotsuchi put his hands on his hips. "You know what," Emily stated with an evil smirk, "I think you actually like me." "What? That's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard!" the captain responded venomously, "I don't like anyone, certainly not you. If anything you like me. I heard what you said before, when I was going to cut your hair." Emily's eyes widened and she muttered, "I said something?" "Oh, yes you did." Kurotsuchi grinned wickedly. "Like what?" she smirked cockily in disbelief. The painted man answered evilly, "You said you'd let me take you, have my way with you. You think I'm 'hot' without my makeup on." Emily blushed madly and looked away from his gaze, "Christ, I said all that?" "Of course you did. You think I don't have my facts straight?" Kurotsuchi spat angrily. "Well, unlike you, I'm not a liar." the woman smiled insolently, "So, yeah. I do think you're hot." The Captain of the Twelfth Division made the strangest face and froze. It was all so unexpected. Emily could hardly believe those words came out of her mouth. "Well, what do you think about…all that?" she questioned the dumbstruck captain. "Well, I think that's enough for today. Carry on with your moping." Kurotsuchi turned to leave. Emily scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Typical man, running away."

He stopped dead in his tracks, "I am not running away, I just have no patience for you anymore." The woman laughed, "You argued with me for about twenty minutes, I think you have enough patience." Kurotsuchi turned back around to face her, "I was defending myself from your slander!" "Sure you were." Emily grinned scornfully, "You're just afraid." "Of what?" he scoffed back at her. The blonde-haired woman answered mockingly, "Oh. Of everything—emotions, human contact, women—" "I am not afraid of any of those silly things!" Kurotsuchi proclaimed. Emily replied almost seductively, "Prove it then." He eyed her oddly, "What—How?" The woman blushed again and looked away, "I don't know." She fidgeted. "I think you meant something." The captain continued to look at her and then realized she was wearing nothing but a white shitagi. "What are you wearing?" Kurotsuchi asked and took a couple of steps closer to her bedside. "This…thing?" Emily asked touching her clothing, "Whatever it's called—Why do you care?" He was standing next to her, looking down, "It's awfully revealing."

"Why are you looking? I thought you were afraid?" Emily smirked smugly. "I told you, I am not afraid! If I was, I obviously wouldn't be in the same room with you while you were half dressed." he nearly stuttered. "Well…if you can't handle a half-naked woman in your presence," Emily chortled, "I can put on some more clothes." Kurotsuchi stated, "I didn't say that!" "Then what do you want, Mayuri?" the woman asked huskily. He looked her up and down then stared into her hazel eyes. The urge overcame Kurotsuchi like a wild fire. He leaned in swiftly, grabbing her by the face, and forcing his lips onto hers.


	11. Zanpakutō: Part I

**Chapter 11:**

Zanpakutō

(Part I)

Tōsen for the most part had not done much concerning Heather's well fair since the moment she had been forced into his company. So she never expected any day to be very eventful. Every morning they had a debate on what justice was, or what it should be. The outcome ended different each time. The woman would usually end up spending her time, while the captain was in the office, helping Lieutenant Hisagi with the editing of the Seireitei News Bulletin. Where said lieutenant would urge her to accompany him to lunch when they both became antsy. Tōsen kept vigilant on her comings and goings. He was weary of whom she was with at first, but had trusted Hisagi's judgment after the first five lengthy explanations. Heather did physical training with the rest of the squad. It only was a few days ago when Tōsen pulled her from training when an accident triggered her spirit energy manifest. Emily had already acquired spiritual energy thanks to Captain Kurotsuchi's lethal experiments. The painted man was now forbidden to perform such tests on her and was expected to be a mentor.

Ever since then, Tōsen kept her locked in the dojo with him in order to achieve her Zanpakutō, or so he told her. The majority of the time she felt that she was undergoing sessions of brainwashing under the disguise of meditation. Having to sit still for such a long time made Heather grow weary and start to squirm to the annoyance of her _teacher_. "Will you sit still?" he finally snapped as he pinned her knees to the floor of the training room. His face was only centimeters from hers. "I can't! My back is all awkward." Heather defended, feeling her back growing stiffer by the second. "The key to discipline is through meditation." Tōsen chastised, "Don't you want to learn and join our society?"

The captain made Heather want to shut him up but she shook off all the drastic ideas that ranged from punching him to giving him a spiteful kiss. Either way she would get him out of her face for the rest of the day. She then just settled with the most reasonable approach and spoke up with the laziest excuse she could think up. "Uh," the woman with the fading hair color replied, "I didn't think it would require this much work?" After the words left her lips did she want nothing more than to hit herself over how stupid that sounded. "Are you willing, or aren't you?" Tōsen raised his voice. "Alright, alright!" Heather fumed whilst shoving his hands off of her, "Let me just—" The woman got up to adjust herself and in that instant she tripped over her own two feet. She fell back and hit her head against the floor.

"Ahhhhh!" Heather screamed as she slid over stone and vines that snagged and tore at her clothes. She bellowed as she drew closer to on oncoming pillar, "Woah! Woah! No! No! No—"The woman collided with the large stone pillar. She hissed in pain and rolled over onto the ground with a soft squish. The ground was muddy and covered in moss and other plant life. "Fuck my life!" Heather groaned and then proceeded to look around at her surroundings. She stood up slowly due to the pain and limped slightly. Heather was in the middle of jungle clearing with several stone ruins tossed about on the ground. She observed the pillar she hit and it appeared to be some kind of Native American totem pole; however, it had only one face at the very top, which was a menacing looking cat. The woman with the sea green hair saw there were two of them at the base of a large pyramid. "Where the hell am I?" she asked aloud to no one in particular.

"Welcome to my kingdom, which resides in the recesses of your mind, Heather." answered a gruff and baritone voice from the sky. Heather looked up at the heavens, which was red because of the approaching sunrise. The woman inquired softly, "Is that you, God?" The voice chortled and responded, "Close, but no." Heather quickly turned and looked to the top of the pyramid. The stairs that led up to a throne at the tip were covered in blood. Upon the throne was a strange sight that took the young woman's breath away. It was creature with the body of human and characteristics of a large feline. He wore a golden loincloth and had a cloak made of the feathers of hummingbirds.

"Uh," Heather squeaked, "Hi?" "No need to be shy." the man-cat rose and walked down the blood stained stairs towards the woman, "I am the humble ruler of this place. You have nothing to fear." The woman paused then questioned the creature, "Ah, okay…you're my zanpakuto then?" "Quite observant of you." the man-cat chuckled as he drew closer. "You're my zanpakuto…and you're a cat…man…with a swagger…" Heather could not believe the situation. It was hard enough for her to accept that she was in the Bleach universe but now she was in her very own world. "That is correct." the creature answered, "However…I am not a 'cat', I am the Mountain Lion, king of this realm."

"I see you're taking this more seriously than I am." the woman smirked softly at the king. He smiled in return, "What's not to be serious about?" Heather grimaced but kept her mouth shut. He finally came upon her and still smiling gently. It was unlike anything Heather had ever experienced. She felt a warm sensation in her chest and could not help but smile genuinely back at him. The king placed his hand on Heather's shoulder, "Relax, I am unlike anyone you have ever come upon." Heather nodded almost dumbly. He grinned happily, "You are safe here. This is your world. And I am your friend." "Sweet." the young woman replied and asked eagerly, "What's your name?" He looked knowingly at her, "You already know my name." Heather chuckled and gave him a look as if she did not understand. Suddenly, just as she was about to question the king, his name poured from her mouth, "Yama Shishiza?"

"Heather?" said a kind but concerned voice, "Heather, can you hear me?" "My eyes!" the strange haired screamed and covered her already closed eyes. A sigh of relief washed over everyone in the room. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around, "Hi, everybody!" "You gave us quite a fright..." Tōsen said with annoyance in his voice. Lieutenant Kotetsu smiled warmly and had already shut the tiny flashlight off, "Sorry for blinding you." "It's okay." Heather smirked at the comment because of the irony of the blind captain in the room. Tōsen was silent and did not look happy. "You wouldn't believe what happened…" the woman remarked almost flabbergasted. "We can." Kotetsu said handing the woman her newly acquired Zanpakutō.

Heather stared at it, mouth agape as if she were given a newborn baby. Tōsen added, "It seems that your little mishap was not in vain." The woman with the faded hair color stated, "Sweet deal for a knock on the head." The lieutenant laughed politely in response. "I gotta' show Emily!" Heather added excitedly. Tōsen inquired exasperatedly, "Do you ever slow down?" "Nope!" the woman laughed in reply. The captain asked Kotetsu, "Do you think she needs rest?" "Not at all, she doesn't even have a concussion." the lieutenant smiled, "Just a little bump." Tōsen stated discontentedly, "Very well. I'll have Hisagi escort you…I have better things to do."


	12. Binge

**Chapter 12:**

Binge

"Hisagi," Tōsen commanded, "Please escort our guest to the Research and Development Institute." "Yes, Captain." Hisagi stopped his paperwork and smiled at Heather. She waved playfully at him, "Hey! Ready for some fun?" "Definitely!" the lieutenant stated, "That paperwork was killing me." Tōsen left without another word. Hisagi waited until his captain was out of ears reach, "Are you okay? I heard you had a little accident." "Some accident, take a gander!" Heather showed the man her weapon proudly. "Would you look at that!" Hisagi chuckled delightfully. "I know right?" the young woman exaggerated, "Isn't it awesome?" "I remember when I got mine, it was quite a rush." the lieutenant encouraged her. "Sorry I'm acting like a little kid but I can't help it!" Heather apologized but continued, "This is the coolest thing ever! You don't normally pass out and get a sword!" They began to make their way to Emily and discussed her Zanpakutō and all things related.

"What do you want?" Captain Kurotsuchi snapped, folding his arms over his chest. Before Hisagi could answer Heather started, "We want to see your prisoner—I mean, Emily." Hisagi stifled a chortle. "I'm afraid you can't." Kurotsuchi sneered. "And why not?" the male lieutenant inquired. "She's going under some experimentation at the moment." Kurotsuchi returned to his work, "Come back never." "Heather?" came a voice from an intercom, "Is that you out there?" The captain immediately switched the device off. "Emily?" Heather cried out dramatically. Hisagi demanded an explanation, "What are you doing to her?" Heather saw her friend behind a large glass wall and ran over to her. "Brother, no!" the woman with the sea green hair yelled and clawed at the glass overenthusiastically. Emily's laugh was inaudible through the transparent wall as she joined in on her friend's antics. Instantly Nemu came from behind her and tried to remove her from the glass but the blonde-haired woman fought it.

"Why the hell are you still doing experiments on her!" Heather turned and yelled at the painted man. "I think my Captain would be very interested to know this." Hisagi threatened the captain boldly. Kurotsuchi groaned dramatically and turned the intercom back on, "Nemu, release the girl." Emily's cheers could be heard through the intercom. "Freedom!" "As you wish, Master Mayuri." Nemu let go of the short woman and the door to the room opened. Emily and Heather ran to each other and embraced happily. Hisagi walked over to the duo. Heather thanked the man, "All hail the mighty, Shūhei!" Emily blushed and muttered, "Thanks." "It was nothing." the lieutenant replied sheepishly. Mayuri hollered out of agitation, "I want all of you out! Get out of here at once! And take Nemu with you!"

The group of four left the building silently. As soon as they stepped outside of the Twelfth Division, Heather declared, "Oh, yeah! I totally forgot the reason we came here in the first place—Look!" The taller woman showed her friend the Zanpakutō. Emily made an internet meme facial expression that only made sense to her and her friend. Nemu was silent and Hisagi smirked at the look. "You lucky asshole!" Emily spat. Heather grinned ear to ear, "Isn't it just great?" "Yeah…" the blonde-haired woman sounded disappointed. "Isn't the 'mime' working with you at all?" Heather questioned her friend and added, "I mean, Tōsen didn't even try and this whole thing happened." Hisagi gave the woman with the faded hair color a look of warning despite the fact that he had threatened the very same captain not minutes ago. They continued to walk and Emily laughed. "No, not exactly." the blonde-haired woman explained, "He's not so bad really. I mean, he keeps experimentation down to three times a day now." Nemu kept walking while Heather and Hisagi stopped in their tracks and gave Emily a look. "I think I need a drink." the male lieutenant remarked. The tallest woman added, "At this rate I might consider it." Emily got excited, "You mean we can actually drink here?" Hisagi smiled at her, "Sure. I know this really great place we can go."

The male lieutenant led the three through the Eleventh Division. Suddenly, the shortest woman became silent and dreary. "Cheer up, Emily!" Heather consoled her gloomy friend, "It isn't so bad." Hisagi asked, "What's wrong with her?" "She's kinda' sorta' madly in love with Kenpachi." the woman with the sea green hair replied casually. "Goddamnit, Heather!" Emily nearly screamed. "Well, it's true!" Heather giggled. "I don't care!" the blonde-haired woman snapped, "You don't go blurting shit like that out to a lieutenant, or anyone for that matter!" Her friend rolled her eyes, "Oh, yea! Kinda' like how it happened in front of all the captains?" Emily grew angrier at her friend's antics, "Heather, I swear to God, I will kick your ass." Heather laughed when she saw Hisagi's bewildered expression. "Hey, Shūhei!" called out a voice, "What are you doing here?" The group happened upon the Eleventh Division's Sixth Seat. "Oh, nothing." Hisagi responded, "Just going out for a drink." "Mind if I join you? I'm practically finished with all my work, so I don't think it would hurt any." the red-haired man asked politely. Hisagi replied, "Sure! The more the merrier!"

The newcomer smiled and introduced himself, "Hey there. Nice to meet you two. I'm Ren—" Heather cut him off, "Renji Abarai." "We know." Emily added nonchalantly, still unhappy with her friend. The Sixth Seat paused and looked at Hisagi, "What's the deal with them?" "Eh, don't worry about it." the male lieutenant assured, "They're pretty great once you get to know them. This is Heather and that's Emily." "Don't mind us." Emily blushed ever so slightly. Heather added playfully, "We don't bite, hard." Renji laughed, "That's a good one! I gotta' remember to use that." They all laughed but stopped when they heard someone calling after Renji, "Hey, Abarai! What do you think you're doing?"

It was the Eleventh Division's Third and Fifth Seat. "Don't you have work to do?" Ayasegawa inquired. "Nope, I'm all done!" Renji answered happily. Emily and Heather laughed under their breaths at the man's fib. "We're going drinking, wanna' come along?" Hisagi asked the duo. The two men looked to one another and shrugged. "Sure, we have time." Madarame replied coolly. Heather laughed under her breath again, thinking of all yaoi that the duo have been involved in. "What's so funny?" the Fifth Seat asked the tallest woman. Heather responded quickly, "Oh, nothing—Just thought of a joke Emily had told me." "What joke?" her friend questioned uncertainly. "Enough about that!" the woman with the sea green hair started walking, "Let's get moving!" Everyone gave each other an odd look but followed the tall woman. "So you are the new girls, eh?" the Third Seat smirked at Emily. She smiled back but Heather said for them both, "It's that obvious, huh?"

"Oh my, God! It's you guys!" Lieutenant Matsumoto nearly slurred as she waved her arms dramatically at the group that just walked into the bar. Hisagi blushed, "Hey, Rangiku..." Everyone greeted each other except for Emily and Heather. "Made some new friends, eh?" Iba was sitting next to Kira at the table that Matsumoto had left. "Nemu, you finally decided to come!" the busty woman approached the group and hugged the silent lieutenant. "Nice to see you too, Lieutenant Matsumoto." Nemu cracked a smile. "Who are you two?" Matsumoto inquired, curiosity getting the best of her. "I'm Emily." the blond-haired woman smiled politely. Her friend made a mock salute and introduced herself, "Heather." Matsumoto laughed loudly causing her legs to wobble, "You're very formal!" "Okay." Heather laughed hesitantly, "It's nice to meet you too." "Come on, man!" Emily laughed as she was starting to get hyper, "Let's get fucked up!" "Now it's a party!" Iba cheered as he downed some sake. Kira shrugged and drank as well. The woman with the faded hair color started to get a little nervous as the situation, "I'm starting to doubt my sanity, fella'—" "Where can I get some of that?" Emily interrupted her friend, asking the group eagerly. Madarame put his arm around the short woman, "That's what I like to hear!" "Come on over! There's enough for everyone." Matsumoto grinned and forcibly directed Heather and Nemu to their seats.

"I love this chick! You're awesome, you know that?" Matsumoto laughed and hugged Emily. The blonde-haired woman hugged the busty lieutenant, "I love you too, man. I love everyone!" "I love you more, Rangiku!" Hisagi yelled across the table. Iba chuckled loudly, "You're sweet on Rangiku, huh, Hisagi?" The tattooed lieutenant blushed and downed some more sake. "You can have Rangiku! I want Emily!" Madarame laughed. "Oh, ho, ho! Do behave!" Emily winked at the frisky man who in turn nudged Ayasegawa. The man simply smirked and sipped his sake. Heather and Nemu were just quiet as the whole table went on about how they loved each other. "This isn't gonna' end well." the sea green-haired woman muttered to lieutenant by her side.

"Whatsa' matter, Heather? You ain't having fun?" Renji asked with great drunken concern to the young woman. "Heather never has fun! She's as tight as Izuru's ass!" Emily joined in and the rest of the pack laughed wildly. "Hey!" Izuru laughed but still turned red. "One is enough; I'm the designated excuse maker." Heather stated regrettably. "Just ignore Heather!" Emily grinned widely and looked to her new friends, "We're having so much fun and we all love each other!" Everyone raised their glasses to her. In return, she raised her own glass and cheered loudly, "Let's have an orgy!" All but Heather and Nemu busted out in to laughter. The tallest woman face palmed. She noticed Nemu getting up to leave. Heather began to question, "Where are you go—oh crap."

"You will do no such thing!" yelled a familiar voice. The cheering and other drunken sounds seemed to come to an immediate end. Captains Kurotsuchi, Tōsen, and Hitsugaya stood there observing disdainfully. "I can explain." Heather squeaked. "Yeah." Rangiku added, "She can explain." "There will be no explaining." Hitsugaya growled. The tall woman started, "But I had a whole dialogue planned!" "Enough, Heather." Tōsen snapped. Kurotsuchi and Nemu made their way over to Emily. She grinned madly at the captain, "Hey, you!" "You're drunk out of your mind." Kurotsuchi growled, "No ward of mine would ever get away with such a thing!" The blonde-haired woman slurred, "Maybe so, but you're still really—" "Brother, no!" Heather stopped her friend and received strange looks from everyone. Emily just laughed hysterically.

"Do you even have a brother?" Kurotsuchi scoffed. The woman with the sea green hair grumbled, "Unfortunately…" Fed up with the situation at hand, the painted man grabbed and pulled Emily up out of her seat. He started to drag her away from the group whom started to boo and call for their friend to come back. "Nemu," Kurotsuchi snarled angrily at his lieutenant without stopping, "See to it that these drunkards get back to their stations." Nemu stopped and bowed, "Yes, Master Mayuri." Hitsugaya collected Rangiku. Tōsen took Heather and Hisagi. Nemu handled the rest.


	13. Lust: Part I

**C****hapter 13:**

Lust

(Part I)

Emily giggled, "So I'm your ward now?" "Oh, do be quiet." Kurotsuchi said irritably, knowing instantly she was going to start with him. "No!" the woman said, "We need to talk about yesterday!" "Nothing happened." the captain mumbled. "Liar, you kissed me!" Emily raised her voice. Kurotsuchi stopped walking, turned to her, and whispered, "Shut up, someone will hear you!" "You're afraid again!" she whispered back at him. "And dare I say, of what?" Kurotsuchi hissed. The blonde-haired woman looked him in the eye and spoke seriously, "Of someone finding out about us." All of a sudden, Emily was in his arms, bridal style and the two were in a whole other place. "Holy shit!" the woman exclaimed and asked as her head began spin, "What just happened?" "I used Shunpo to get us away before anyone could hear your inane chatter." Kurotsuchi answered snidely as placed her on her feet. "Where are we?" Emily slurred. He walked over to the doorway of building nearby, "You can't expect me to take you back to the Institute in your state!"

"Is this your house?" the blonde-haired woman gaped as she pushed the man to the side and entered the place. "Shut up," Kurotsuchi entered and closed the door behind him, "Before someone hears you!" "Wow…" Emily trailed off, "This place is a dump." "I beg your pardon?" the painted man snapped. The woman ignored him and continued to walk about his home. "What on earth are you doing?" Kurotsuchi attempted to get the drunk's attention but failed. She entered the master bedroom with an odd grin. Emily ran over and jumped onto the large, disheveled bed. She flipped herself onto her back and laughed, "Your bed is surprisingly comfy!" "Did I say you could go onto my bed?" Kurotsuchi approached her and demanded, "Get off now!" The woman continued to grin at him. Emily challenged, "Make me!" Their eyes locked. He took a few steps closer towards the bed and leaned over her. "Move." the painted man ordered one last time. Their faces were inches apart. Emily whispered, "Make me."

In her drunken state, it seemed as if the captain had magically made his way on top of her. The blonde-haired woman was nearly startled when she realized they were kissing provocatively. A million thoughts ran through her inebriated mind, however, it was lust that had overcome her. Emily slipped her tongue into Kurotsuchi's mouth. She could feel a smile form on his lips and soon they both were exploring each other's mouths. The captain's hands wondered the young woman's body. She found herself wrapping her legs around the man's waist. Kurotsuchi dipped his hips into her causing her to break their kiss and moan somewhat loudly. He immediately placed his lips upon her neck. Emily's hands traveled to the captain's head, forcing his hat off. She started to play with his hair as he nibbled on her tender neck. The young woman grinned and purred as Kurotsuchi's mouth traveled from the nape of her neck to her collarbone and chest.

Emily tightened her grip around his waist. The man opened her top to reveal her breasts. She gasped as his mouth played with her nipple and his hand kneaded the other. Her hands tugged at the captain's hair and clothing. It was not long before the two were ripping at each other's clothing. The woman bit her lip in anticipation as she gazed at Kurotsuchi's nude body. The paint on his form was beginning to smudge off and the scars underneath showed. He breathed heavily as their eyes met after looking over one another's bodies. The captain was taken by surprise when Emily hooked her feet around his waist and invited him closer. Kurotsuchi wasted no time. He grabbed his throbbing manhood and positioned himself over the young woman. She patiently waited as she stared seductively into his eyes, beckoning him. In an instant, the painted man thrust himself into her. An abrupt gasp left her lips but her eyes never left his.

For a moment, they simply stood still, just savoring the feeling. Although, both their patience began to wear thin and the man commenced to move his hips. Emily's eyes lulled in her head as he picked up speed. Kurotsuchi lowered himself over her so their bodies could touch. The woman's breasts moved against him as he kept a steady pace. She could not hold her tongue as little moans left her lips. Their sweat and the captain's paint mingled together causing a mess. Both of the them and the sheets beneath them were covered in black and white smudges. Caught in the moment, Emily was astonished when the captain had flipped her over onto her hands and knees. Kurotsuchi took her from behind. The woman gripped the bed sheets for dear life as his thrusts picked up even more speed. Her moans became screams of passion. They swiftly moved as one and could feel their peaks being reached.

Kurotsuchi grunted in unison with Emily's blissful cries of pleasure. They came together with one loud scream. They were frozen in their position for several seconds before the blonde-haired woman plopped onto her stomach. The captain's knees buckled and he fell onto his side. Emily was breathing heavily into the bed and Kurotsuchi panted softly as he stared at the ceiling. Neither of them had never had sex like that before. They seemed to be speechless. He began to speak as he looked over at the woman but paused. Kurotsuchi scoffed, "Are you sleeping?" There was no reply. In her drunken state, Emily had passed out and began to snore softly. The man rolled his eyes, "Unbelievable."


	14. Progress

**Chapter 14:**

Progress

"What is the progress on the two women, Captain Kurotsuchi, Captain Tōsen?" Kurotsuchi was about to make up some excuse as to why things had not been going the way they should when Tōsen blurted out, "I can't take it anymore, Head-Captain!" Everyone looked at the man with either confusion or amusement. Yamamoto inquired, "What seems to be the problem?" "You didn't give me a woman, you gave me a monster!" he pointed at Unohana. She looked offended and smiled calmly but not sincerely, "She may be a little eccentric but—" "Anal raping pyramid head monsters?" Tōsen interrupted her. All the captains were silent and wide-eyed. "Kaname, don't you think you might be exaggerating just…a little?" Komamura questioned the crazed man. Kyōraku added, "Yeah, she seems harmless. What's the big issue?" "You haven't heard her plot lines!" Tōsen defended himself, "And I'll have you know, Kurotsuchi, the one you're handling is just as bad, if not worse! She helps the She-Devil with these—these vulgarities!"

"Woah! Woah! Kaname, come on now!" Kyōraku tried to settle the man down, "These girls are all talk…No need to call them names. Jūshirō and I have talked to them a few times. They're sweethearts." A shocked Ukitake added, "It's true…they're quite funny actually." "Nonsense! You haven't had the pleasure of being alone with them for all hours of the day! Kurotsuchi, you should know!" Tōsen reached out to Kurotsuchi. "I haven't the faintest idea what you are blabbering on about." the painted man rolled his eyes. Tōsen gaped at everyone, looking for back up. "I think he's lost it." Zaraki retorted. "If that is all, Captain Tōsen," Yamamoto started, "I will say I am pleased with your progress with the woman on obtaining her Zanpakutō." The captains were silent but they had their eyes on Kurotsuchi.

"What?" the painted man shot daggers at all of the observers, "What are you all staring at?" "I think what we want to know, Captain Kurotsuchi, is what have you done so far?" Hitsugaya abruptly inquired, causing the other captain to panic. "Indeed." Yamamoto added. "Well, I—you see—what happened was," Kurotsuchi tried to explain, "I didn't really…accomplish anything…yet." "What have you been doing all this time?" Unohana questioned evilly. The Twelfth Division Captain growled under his breath then went on nervously, "You see—Well—The girl has had some trouble concentrating and focusing—So I was working on—Yes! I was working on a serum! A serum to administer to the girl—A serum that when administered will allow her—allow her to enter her own mind—a trance—you see. A trance like state that would give her the ability to communicate with her Zanpakutō!" Kurotsuchi was almost out of breath by the end of his lengthy explanation.

"They make those now?" Kyōraku asked with the sound of amusement in his voice. Aizen interjected, "It appears Captain Kurotsuchi is doing the best of his abilities…Why not let him continue?" "Very well," Yamamoto started, "As long as she obtains her Zanpakutō accordingly, you may carry on, Captain Kurotsuchi. As for you, Captain Tōsen…Do you believe you can go on training your pupil?" "With all due respect, sir, I think it would benefit Heather if she were placed in another division." Tōsen responded sounding more like himself. "Then what do you suppose we do with her?" Soifon inquired somberly. The room was silent. "Any volunteers?" the Head-Captain pressed his comrades.

"Guess who's your new Captain?" Kyōraku snuck up behind Heather. She nearly jumped out of her skin, "Holy crap!" The captain laughed and so did the others around them. "So you told them the good news?" Kurotsuchi sneered approaching them. "Sure did!" the laid-back captain went on, "Can't you see how great she's taking it?" "Wait, what's going on?" Heather settled down. Emily grinned, "Looks like you've been transferred, bro." "Sweet, where?" the woman with the sea green hair asked. "Aw, you don't know?" Kyōraku said in a playfully disappointed voice then perked up and added, "You're coming home with me tonight!" "That sounded so wrong…" Heather pointed out. Emily burst into laughter. The other lieutenants went to their captains.

"Come. We don't have time for this." Kurotsuchi leered and made his way to the exit. "Bye, guys!" Emily announced her departure and turned to her friend, "Have fun tonight, Heather." She winked at her friend and continued to laugh aloud obnoxiously. The painted man rolled his eyes and made a discontented sound at his ward's antics. "Ignore my friend. If it weren't for the gutter our minds would be homeless." Heather said to Kyōraku who laughed at the remark. "Anyway, how did you pull off that magic trick? They actually approved of you taking me in?" the woman with the faded hair color inquired with an eyebrow raised. The captain shrugged, "I have my ways…You know what this means?" He gave her a knowing look and a charming smile. "You're perverted…I like that." Heather commented playfully.


	15. Zanpakutō: Part II

**Chapter 15:**

Zanpakutō

(Part II)

Kurotsuchi shuffled slowly toward Emily who was trying her damnedest to keep away from the man. The captain stated in a falsely sweet tone, "I am just going to inject you with a little—" "Keep away from me!" she hollered and leapt away, "How the hell am I supposed to know what you put in that? Remember we said no more needles!" "I know. I know." Kurotsuchi argued, "But this is different!" "Liar!" the blonde-haired woman was cornered and he was approaching her with a drawn needle. "I swear to God, Mayuri!" Emily warned the man, "If you do this—" "Now, Nemu!" he signaled his lieutenant. Nemu dropped down onto the short woman from above and pinned her to the floor. Emily was cursing and thrashing but the black-haired lieutenant was too strong. "Now just hold still..." Kurotsuchi cooed and petted her head before jabbing the end of the syringe into her neck. The young woman continued to swear and struggle but then slowly drifted off, mumbling to herself incoherently.

The ocean around her roared ferociously. Emily awoke with a start to find her body being thrown around by waves. It was so strong she could barely keep her head above the water. She felt doomed as water filled her lungs and she gasped for air. Suddenly, the woman felt something rise up from under her. Whatever it was, it was large and it carried her through the current to the nearby shoreline. Emily thought she was going to collide with the rocks but the waves were so strong they lifted her up and over the rocks. She choked, trying to get the water out of her lungs. "That crazy mother fucker," she gasped, "It actually worked."

Emily looked around after catching her breath. The air was warm and misty. The sky was grey and cloudy. She saw a towering lighthouse on the rocky shore. There was tall grass swaying in the wind beyond the rocks and lighthouse. The woman saw a little cottage in the distance. Emily heard something near the water besides the roaring waves. She turned and saw a great creature rise out of the ocean. It was a gigantic serpentine dragon. It had scales that glowed like turquoise and electric indigo eyes.

"Oh, my God!" Emily flinched and put her hands up to shield herself. The beast laughed heartedly. The blonde-haired woman could feel fluttering in her chest while it laughed. She smirked and laughed almost shyly. Lowering her hands, she stared at the creature for a moment before inquiring softly, "So you're my Zanpakutō?" The creature lowered its head down to her level and bared its fangs in toothy grin. It answered loudly, "Indeed, I am." It was so close to her face that as it spoke Emily got a full blast fish breath and spit. The dragon lifted its head away from her so it was looking down again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that." it apologized sheepishly as its large ears drooped. Emily wiped the spit off her face and smiled kindly, "It's alright. I just wasn't…expecting that." The beast laughed again and asked, "What were you expecting?" "I don't know." the woman giggled, her Zanpakutō's laughter was contagious. "I see!" the creature exclaimed happily, "Well it's nice to finally meet you, Emily!"

"It's nice to meet you too…" Emily trailed off and questioned, "What's your name?" "That I don't know." the Zanpakutō answered thoughtfully. The woman chuckled and asked, "How do you not know your own name?" "It beats me! I just live here." the dragon laughed loudly once more. "You gotta' know something." she announced. The dragon looked away in thought and explained, "All that I know…is that I have been waiting for you so you could name me." "You want me to name you?" Emily asked with a look of surprise on her face. Drooping its ears once more, the beast pleaded sweetly, "Will you, please?" The young woman smiled warmly and replied, "I'd love to but I have no idea what to call you…you're a great…big dragon-thingy." Suddenly, Emily heard a familiar voice within her head, "I think it's working!" "What the—Why do I hear Mayuri?" the blonde-haired shook her head in confusion, "Oh, no!" the Zanpakutō whined, "You must be waking up!" "Waking up?" she inquired and stated, "But this is going so fast, just like a dream." The turquoise creature sighed in disappointment, "It feels like we only just met…" "We did…" Emily responded. "Oh, that's right!" the beast's ears perked up only to lower in sadness again, "But I still don't have a name!" She hesitated, licking her lips, "I guess I can call you—" The woman paused as she heard the captain's voice once more, "It's definitely working!" "—Ryuu Unabara?"

"Success!" Kurotsuchi cheered and ordered, "Quick, Nemu! Take this and put it in to have it analyzed." The black-haired lieutenant answered in her usual monotone voice, "Yes, Master Mayuri." Emily put her hand on her head and attempted to sit up, "That was weird, did it work?" The captain smiled in a self-satisfied manner, "What else did you expect? Of course!" "What are you doing to Ryuu Unabara?" she could not help but ask as she became aware of the fact that her sword was snatched away before she could even touch it. "I'm analyzing your Zanpakutō." Kurotsuchi answered simply, "Just in order to find out what it's capable of." Emily fully sat up and gave the man an accusing glare, "You mean tamper with his powers so he wouldn't hurt you?" "No, that's not true! I would never do such a thing!" he defended himself. "Like Hell you wouldn't," the younger woman retorted before informing the man, "I've seen you in action before, Mayuri. You tamper with everything! You even do it to your opponents if they happen to get away from you."

"Where do you get your information? That's obvious slander!" the captain screeched angrily. "Trust me," Emily assured grimly, "I know." They had a staring contest for several second before Kurotsuchi gave in. He groaned, "Fine, you can have it back." "Really?" the blonde-haired woman asked in shock. "Yes…" the captain rolled his eyes. "Aw!" Emily jumped off the table and embraced the man, "Thanks, sweetheart." He made a disconcerting sound.


	16. Home, Sweet Home

**Chapter 16:**

Home, Sweet Home

Heather woke up and looked around. She did not recognize where she was until the memories from the previous day fluttered back into her conscious mind. Tōsen gave his authority over her to Kyōraku. The woman with the sea green hair sighed. At least she did not have to tip toe around her warden now; just the same, she had no idea what offends Kyōraku, or not. Heather rolled out of bed and stretched. She decided to go with the flow and pray she would not put her foot in her mouth. Much like her nature, this captain was easy going, but even those people get angered when pushed too far.

Heather dressed and opened the door to her room. The woman made her way to the living area, wanting to get a better look at the place. At this point, she realized how much Kyōraku's home looked like a bachelor pad. Everything seemed a bit disheveled and had a thin layer of dust coating it. There was no wall separating the kitchen, which was also not tidy. The sink was filled with clean and dirty dishes mixed together. Heather also took note of the old food packages lying about. The woman grimaced to herself before she heard a strange sound. She could not make it out and allowed curiosity to get the best of her. She followed the sound to a room with a door that was wide open. Poking her head in, Heather saw a particular captain sprawled out on a large bed. Her eyes bugged out and a deep blush covered her features. By the way the blankets covered him, the woman could not tell if Kyōraku was nude or not. It did not take her long to discover the sound she had followed was snoring.

The woman gave him look and was shocked by the fact that he sounded like a normal person snoring and not a dead animal, which she was used to. Heather was about to turn and leave, but as she grabbed the sliding door to close it he shifted. "Well, good morning." Kyōraku greeted huskily. The woman with the faded hair color panicked, "This isn't what you think!" "Well it all depends on what _you're_ thinking…" the captain teased. Heather turned to look at him and he was smiling oddly in her direction, which made her feel more awkward. "I—I—I'm…I'm gonna' go." the woman stuttered, her face still red. He tried to stop her and reached for the blanket, "Now, hold on a minute—" "No!" Heather nearly fell over as she shielded her eyes. "Relax." Kyōraku assured, "I'm wearing pants." She uncovered her eyes and sighed in a mix of relief and disappointment. The captain got out of bed and grinned at her, "How long have you been awake?" "Not long…" the woman answered hesitantly. She was still blushing madly, never having seen him shirtless. She tried not to stare but failed miserably. "What's wrong?" Kyōraku inquired sincerely, "You're awfully quiet."

She lost control of her speech and could not utter a word to the man. The captain sighed, "I'll put some clothes on…" He went to his wardrobe and put a shirt on. Heather stared at him the entire time. Kyōraku turned to her and motioned to his clothes. "Do I look better?" the brown-haired man asked. "What?" she seemed to have snapped out of a trance. "Good morning to you too." the captain laughed then asked, "Ya' hungry?" Heather replied, regaining her composure, "Yeah…sure."


	17. Training

**Chapter 17:**

Training

"I set up this facility for the sole purpose of training you." Kurotsuchi stated matter-of-factly. They were what appeared to be a large concrete dojo. Emily was no longer used to him being so serious and it felt odd. "Oh," she spoke nervously, "Well, thanks?" "Unsheathe your Zanpakutō." the captain ordered suddenly. "Right now?" the blonde-haired woman asked as she felt her heart begin to race. Kurotsuchi snapped, "Yes, now!" "Okay, okay! Uh," Emily trailed off as she ungracefully drew her weapon, "Alright..." The painted man demanded simply, "Come at me." She muttered dumbly, "What?" Kurotsuchi retorted somewhat angrily, "You heard me!" "Geez! Okay!" Emily lifted her sword slowly and brought it down even more sluggishly towards the man.

Kurotsuchi extended his arm and blocked her blade with his bare hand. "Pathetic." he shoved the weapon away forcing her back. It was with enough force to knock her on her rear. "Get up!" the captain yelled. "Christ, Mayuri!" Emily fumed, "It's my first time! Can't you be nice?" "Never!" Kurotsuchi sneered and motioned with his hands, "Now get up! Get up!" The short woman grumbled under her breath as she got up off the ground, "Now what do I do?" The painted captain rolled his eyes, "Oh, for the love of science! Come at me!" Emily scowled and charged. She was not very fast but it was a good effort. Kurotsuchi blocked the hit with his hand once again, "Are you even trying?" She growled and swung her weapon once more only to be blocked again. He snickered and it infuriated her. The woman started wildly swinging her blade at the captain without causing so much as a scratch. However, this is what Kurotsuchi wanted. Her anger caused a spike in her spiritual energy. He shoved her once more, forcing her back. Although, she caught her footing and did not fall. Emily scowled and directed her weapon at the captain. "What are you doing?" Kurotsuchi stifled a giggle.

"Set Sail," the woman turned the handle of her Zanpakutō to the left, "Ryuu Unabara!" A burst of spiritual energy was released and a mist manifested in the surrounding area. "Fascinating," the man commented, "I knew it was a water based Zanpakutō but I had no idea it would be capable of such a complex technique." Kurotsuchi looked around but could not see through the thick fog. Instantly a giant ball of water hit him square in the chest. The captain fell onto his rear and was soaking wet from head to toe. His makeup began to run and he scowled, "Now look what you've done!" Kurotsuchi stood to his full height and he noticed the mist around him started to dissipate. Emily launched herself at the captain from the remaining fog, weapon drawn. He blocked it with his arm and she jumped away from him. "What the?" he looked at his arm and there was a speckle of blood. "Outstanding," Kurotsuchi looked astonished yet pleased, "You actually managed to scratch me." "Oh, shut up." the young woman growled. "Come at me once more, just like that." the captain demanded in a surprisingly kind tone. She furrowed her brow and ran toward the man. This time he got a good look at her Zanpakutō in its released form. It was rigid, scaly weapon that looked alive. It had fins and a fleshy look to it. The large barbs that adorned one side of the curved blade looked dangerous but had a feathery style to it. He pulled out his Zanpakutō and blocked the attack. Kurotsuchi grinned, "Finally!"


	18. Lessons

**Chapter 18:**

Lessons

Heather sat down on the grass, she looked up at her teacher to find him still energized and standing while she was sweaty and gasping. He gave her an apologetic smile and sat next to her. "You have no idea how good you look like that." Kyōraku told her and handed her some water. "Pfft! I know you're a charmer and all, but don't expect me to believe that line." she laughed sarcastically before taking a swig. The captain tried to assure Heather, "I guess you have a right to not believe me, but it's true." The woman with the faded hair color gave him a skeptical look and offered him some of the water. Kyōraku thanked her as he took the container. His hand had brushed hers and he quickly pulled away at contact. "Sorry," the brown-haired man mumbled.

Heather smiled softly and set the container between them. Her mind drifted off to her own little world without so much as a warning. The Eighth Division Captain only looked back at her when he heard the distinct sound of humming. "Penny for your thoughts?" Kyōraku asked. The woman answered simply, "What do you think Byakuya would think about wearing a dress?" The image of Captain Kuchiki in the frilliest lace dress sprang into the man's head and he immediately burst in laughter. After a few moments did Kyōraku settle down and he replied, "I don't think he'd like the idea." "Probably right." Heather added, "I've always tried to mentally alter the dresses into something more masculine but I've been getting lazy as of lately." The captain inquired curiously, "What other things do you think of?"

"A lot of weird stuff." the woman with the sea green hair explained, "The only reason Tōsen tolerated me was because of my cooking savvy, but the fact that, I guess, my other thoughts were too much for him." "What made you scare him off?" Kyōraku questioned with amusement. Heather trailed off, "I guess my Silent Hill ramblings…I thought they were pretty cool." The brown-haired man smirked, "Let me guess…Pyramid-headed rapists?" "I take it that's something he mentioned?" the young woman giggled. Kyōraku chortled in response, "Practically screamed about it."

"So that's why he wanted me gone!" she exclaimed and went on, "I just never bothered censoring myself…" "I like that about you, Heather." the captain smiled and patted her shoulder. They paused for a moment as their eyes locked. Kyōraku jumped up off the ground instantaneously, "Ready for round two?" The young woman felt somewhat disappointed and stood up, "Sure…"


	19. Scandalous

**Chapter 19:**

Scandalous

Emily poked her head into the Eighth Division office were Heather was lounging about on a couch. The blonde-haired woman snuck up to her friend and towered over her until she was noticed. "Holy crap!" Heather exclaimed, nearly falling off the couch. Emily laughed hysterically, "That never gets old." The woman with the sea green hair retorted, "Give me a break! I've been training all day with the 'supposed' bum." "Oh, really?" Emily giggled in response. "Yeah, really." Heather smiled and asked, "What are you doing here, anyway?" "Mayuri had to run to the Institute and take care of some things. He surprisingly thought I'd stay put." the shorter woman shrugged with a grin. Heather laughed, "You? Stay put? That's funny." Emily chortled, "I know, right?" "What ya' got there, fella'?" the older female had suddenly noticed her friend's newly acquired Zanpakutō and snatched it. "Hey!" Emily laughed and attempted to retrieve it. "Hey, now! Don't sound too much like the 'bum'. I just wanna' see." Heather smiled as she examined the weapon, "Nice. I'm really liking the colors. Are your power's water-based?"

"Yeah. How did you guess?" the blonde-haired woman chirped warmly. Her friend answered with a knowing smile, "Just a hunch." Emily inquired playfully, "So what's yours?" "I don't rightly know." Heather replied thoughtfully and explained, "I'm still trying to figure that one out. It's most likely sonic energy and earth based." The younger female laughed softly, "I could have figured." Heather returned the Zanpakutō, "Just like our zodiacs, huh?" "Yep!" Emily grinned then shook her head slightly disconcertingly, "But, man, that inner world stuff is pretty crazy." The woman with the sea green hair added, "I like mine." "You would." her friend responded with a sarcastic glance and a laugh. "What makes yours so bad?" Heather chuckled half-heartedly with mild concern. "Well, I nearly drowned. So that was really unexpected." Emily answered ironically cheerful.

The tallest woman raised her eyebrows in shock, "I didn't know that could even happen." "Me either." Emily giggled and went on, "But my Zanpakutō saved me, which was kinda' cool, but it was a little goofy—which wasn't completely unexpected." Heather laughed aloud and pointed out, "That's you all right." The blonde-haired woman countered jokingly, "Asshole." They laughed together for a moment before settling down. "What happened in your inner world, dude?" Emily inquired somewhat eagerly. "Everything…" Heather answered in a dramatically soft voice. They laughed once more, however, the eldest friend tried to explain, "All of my obsessions combined into one thing, man" "What?" Emily asked with a hint of confusion and added, "Blood, sex, and animals?" "Exactly!" Heather cheered. "Wait, what?" the shorter woman questioned and gave her friend another odd look. "It's literally all of that, even the sexuality." the woman with the sea green hair explained with a silly grin, "Strangely on an animal though."

"O—okay." Emily tried to understand her strange friend's ramblings. "Like a hot man body surrounded by fur." Heather motioned with her hands in response. "That's not creepy." the blonde-haired woman stifled a giggle while trying to be serious. "Shut up!" the older female demanded playfully and laughed, "This is my story!" Emily snickered then remarked attentively, "Well, it sure does sound like something you would dream up." Heather smiled warmly at her friend and decided it was time for a subject change, "So, you and the 'mime', how goes things?" The shorter woman blushed slightly and chortled, "Erm…well…" "Oh, come on, it can't be that bad." Heather chuckled and stated ironically, "It's not like you two are fooling around or something." Emily looked away from her friend and tried her damnedest to stifle her laughter. "Oh, my God." the woman with the sea green hair gasped loudly, "You didn't!" "I did!" she whispered to her friend whilst giggling.

Heather flailed her arms dramatically and screamed, "Ew!" "Oh, shut the fuck up!" Emily playfully yelled and explained, "He's not that bad, really. I actually like him…a lot." "We're talking about the guy who took you apart and put you back together again, right?" the tallest woman asked jokingly. Her friend smiled and defended, "It's not like that!" "I know but that's still kinda' creepy." Heather concluded. "I know how it sounds but he's really great. I can't explain it, he's just awesome." Heather made a groaning sound like a dying animal causing Emily to laugh and smack her friend playfully. "Bottom-line, he treats me well and I'm happy for once in my life. Okay?" the blonde-haired woman went on in inquiry, "Now, what's going on with you? Hm?" "What do you mean?" Heather asked suspiciously. The shorter of the two explained, "I mean, Tōsen was a dick and he dumped you on Shunsui, right? So how are things going with him? He seems like a nice guy." "Shunsui is Shunsui." Heather replied with a drawl, "And we all know how Shunsui is." Emily laughed, "So he's been coming on to you?"

The woman with the sea green hair answered more seriously than before, "Actually…he's been pretty awkward about it." "Really?" her friend asked. She nodded, "Yeah, like he never flirted with anybody like me before." Heather continued a hint of hesitation, "He actually told me he liked something about me other than my looks. It was…nice?" "What do you mean 'nice'?" Emily laughed obnoxiously back at her friend. The taller woman laughed back but defended, "I can't describe it! He's just…weird. I've never seen this side of him before in the manga. It's kinda' cute." "Oh, geez!" her friend exclaimed excitedly. Heather laughed but did not understand, "What?" Emily cried out, "You like him!" "Lies!" the tallest woman hissed which sounded a lot like a certain painted captain. "Heather loves Shunsui! Heather loves Shunsui!" the blonde-haired sang aloud. "What's going on in here?" Lieutenant Ise popped her head into the office. "Oh, hi." Heather waved happily at the officer, "We're just using this abandoned office." "This is the Captain's office!" Ise exclaimed. The eldest of the two friends answered simply, "Just as I said, we're using this abandoned office." Emily cackled. Ise looked displeased. She inquired, "What is she doing here?" "Nice to see you too." the shorter woman giggled. "Well," Heather mocked seriously, "I can explain that, Nanao-chan." "Don't call me that." Ise ordered irritably. Emily continued to laugh, it was infectious. Heather chortled, "Well, I willed her here. I thought of how epic it would be if Emily chilled with me right here and poof! Here she is!" The blonde-haired woman flailed her fingers, "Magic!" "Get out, the both of you." The lieutenant commanded. "Ah, you know I love you. Right, Nanao?" the woman with the sea green hair cooed. Ise walked away without another word. "She wants me for my body." Heather gave Emily a look. She cackled once more and added, "Let's go before she comes back, man." "Yeah," the taller friend stated, "I know some place outside where we won't be bothered."


	20. Lust: Part II

**Chapter 20:**

Lust

(Part II)

Kyōraku arrived to his flat early, hoping that his pupil was there instead of out and about, like her usual restless self. "Heather, are you here?" he called out, praying for an answer. The captain absolutely enjoyed her company. Although, the only thing that he could do without was her need to go out on her own constantly. She usually ended up in the dojo or twelfth division, but he really did not like chasing her around the Seireitei. What he did not expect was a crash coming from Heather's room. A familiar voice cried out, "Ouch! Damn it!" Kyōraku did not think, he just walked into the young woman's room. Upon arrival, he noticed his mistake. Heather was almost totally nude save for the pants she was trying to pull over her legs. Her freshly washed hair was fanned over her chest, failing in covering what needed to be hidden from the captain's eyes. "Oh," Kyōraku apologized, "I'm sorry." He tried to leave but it seemed that his feet would not move as if they had been nailed to the floor. Making use of his situation, the man offered his hand to help Heather to her feet. She accepted the offer with a heavy blush on her cheeks. Before either could comprehend their own actions, their lips met.

It did not take long before Kyōraku's hands began to travel up her arms and find their way to her chest. The captain started to fondle and play with the woman's breasts. Heather moaned softly as she started pulling off his hat and pushing the kimono off his shoulders. Kyōraku shrugged off his haori and the rest of his layers before his hands returned to searching her body. He felt one of Heather's hands searching his front while the fingers of her other hand entangled his hair. The captain's arms slithered around her waist as he pulled her closer to him. She sighed contently as she felt his hands work and pull off her pants, which fell to her ankles. Kyōraku pressed his body against hers. The woman gasped and pulled away from him after feeling his arousal pressed against her. "You like?" he inquired in a husky voice with a smirk on his face. She bit her lip hiding her smile. The only word that could escape her mouth was, "Wow." "That impressive, huh?" the captain asked smugly. "It doesn't matter how big it is," Heather replied, "It's how you use it."

The brown-haired man raised his eyebrow ever so slightly. "Oh, so that's how you're gonna play?" Kyōraku questioned as he picked her up and rested her onto the bed. He then proceeded to climb on top of her and continue to strip himself nude. The captain spread her legs. "Before anything gets too complicated," Kyōraku inquired attentively, "Are you sure you want this?" He hoped she would not refuse. Heather thoughtfully looked into his eyes and spoke, "I want this, Shunsui." His eyes held relief and happiness before he kissed her deeply. As they kissed, the captain guided his manhood into her. The woman with the sea green hair moaned loudly once he was fully inside of her. Kyōraku held his position over her for several second before Heather's arousal clouded her senses to the point of begging.

"Shun, please." she pleaded tenderly. The man did not hesitate to pull out slowly and reenter at a tedious pace. Heather's breath hitched as he repeated his actions eventually picking up his pace. Their movements had begun to form a heavy rhythm that they could not tear from. Their breathing becoming erratic and their bodies melded together as they continued their dance. Before long did they lose their steady movements and began to wildly move against each other until they climaxed. Kyōraku almost collapsed onto his lover. He was spent, yet impressed at his own performance. "Wow." rasped the man. Heather chuckled, pressing herself up next to him once he laid down beside her. "Yes, sir. You are welcome," Heather smirked and snuggled close to him. "No jokes now. I hope you realize you're up for a long night with me." Shunsui told her, kissing the top of her head. "I think I can live with that." she replied happily.

Lieutenant Ise pulled out the key to her captain's flat. He was late for the office _again_. She figured that he had gotten drunk and passed out as usual. However, it was unusual to do that now a days. The lieutenant figured that it was because of Heather. Ever since the newcomer told Kyōraku that constant alcoholism bothered her, he seemed to have changed for the better. "Now if she could only stop him from chasing after women all the time." Ise mumbled under her breath as she let herself in.

The place looked normal but then again appearances are deceiving. She checked her captain's room and mentally prepared for the worst. She was surprised to find the bed empty and unkempt like always. "Captain?" Ise called out, partially surprised. Kyōraku never left Heather alone the whole night. If anything, he would chase after her if they were apart for too long. Not hearing a reaction from her captain, the lieutenant decided to see if Heather was in her room. Ise thought that maybe she would know where he was. The black-haired woman knocked on the apprentice's door lightly. She knew around this time Heather was a light sleeper and on certain occasions, she needed a friendly nudge to be woken. There was no response. Ise paused before entering the bedroom and readied herself to interrogate the younger woman on her captain's whereabouts. "Oh, my—" the lieutenant could not help but to yelp before covering her mouth.

The sound roused the sleeping Heather's attention, "Hm…" She grumbled as she struggled to sit up. Kyōraku's arm proved to be quite heavy when flung across one's waist. "Whatsa' matter, sweetheart?" the man asked sleepily as he reached up to kiss her neck. Heather smiled then immediately took notice of Ise in the doorway, her smile dropped and her eyes went wide. The woman had not expected company and greeted wearily, "Hi, Nanao…What's up?"


	21. Benefits

**Chapter 21:**

Benefits

"Good morning!" Kurotsuchi chimed to everyone in the vicinity. They all just gave him a strange look. He ignored them and continued about his day. The captain found himself making kind gestures and comments as well as smiling frequently. At one point his lieutenant asked, "Master Mayuri, are you…alright?" "Of course, Nemu!" Kurotsuchi replied, "What would make you think otherwise?" Nemu answered softly, "Nothing, sir, it's just…" "What?" he inquired. The black-haired lieutenant responded somberly, "You seem awfully…happy." Kurotsuchi nearly turned red in embarrassment. "Get back to work, Nemu!" he snapped at the woman who then bowed and left him at once. The captain was alone in his office. He put his hand on his head and wondered what was happening to him. He had not noticed until Nemu had pointed it out to him that he was actually happy. For the rest of the day the captain tried to be mean to everyone but he kept catching himself doing the opposite. Kurotsuchi ended up sending himself home early for the day due to embarrassment.

Kyōraku found himself humming a playful tune while he was working on some paperwork. Lieutenant Ise entered the room expecting him to be sleeping on the couch. "Captain?" she asked in shock. "Hello, Nanao!" the captain greeted warmly, "You look well rested today." Ise responded with confusion in her voice, "Thank you?" "You're welcome!" Kyōraku grinned at the woman then continued to work. "Captain, are you…working?" the black-haired lieutenant inquired. "Why, yes I am!" the man answered cheerfully, "I'm trying to finish this as soon as possible so I can go out to dinner with Heather tonight." Ise paused, "Dinner…with Heather?" "Yes! I planned a wonderful candlelight dinner, just the two of us." the captain explained eagerly. "That's…that's nice, Captain." the woman responded in an unsure tone. "I know," he agreed and went on, "I'm actually very excited." "Captain, are you…are you feeling well?" Ise questioned her superior. "I feel better than ever." Kyōraku replied and asked in return, "How do you feel?" "I'm fine…" the lieutenant stared at her wide-eyed. "You looked kinda' scared." the captain appeared puzzled, "Is something wrong, Nanao?" "Nothing. Nothing at all. I just—" Ise was cut off by a loud banging sound. "All captains! All captains! Report immediately for an emergency officer's conference!"


	22. Double Trouble

**Chapter 22:**

Double Trouble

The Head-Captain demanded, "So what do you have to say for yourself, Captain of the Third Division, Gin Ichimaru?" All the captains looked to Ichimaru expectantly. "What's going on?" the silver-haired man inquired then went on, "I was wondering what I was called here for. Such a big production. The captains who run the Soul Society assembling just for me…or maybe not. The Captain of Thirteenth Division is missing. Where is he?" "He's sick." Tōsen stated. Ichimaru tutted kindly, "Again? Poor thing." "That's enough." Zaraki interjected, "Do you think we were called here to discuss a sick captain? We heard. You were out playing with a Ryoka without permission. And you let him get away. What happened? A captain should be able to kill four or five Ryoka with ease." Ichimaru asked with the sound of shock in his voice, "What? He isn't dead? Uh-oh."

"What?" Zaraki exclaimed angrily. "Gosh. I thought he was dead." Ichimaru stated and questioned himself, "Have my instincts begun to fail me?" Kurotsuchi laughed darkly, "Don't pretend you didn't know. We of the captain class can sense the disappearance of a being's spirit energy. Or were you so negligent that you didn't bother to take notice?" Hitsugaya remarked, "Here we go again. Stupid old men, bickering. I can't take it." "What's that?" Ichimaru asked politely, "You think I let him get away on purpose?" "That's exactly what I think." the painted captain snapped. "Be silent, Kurotsuchi." Zaraki threatened, "I'm asking the questions. You stay out of it! Unless you'd like me to cut you too!" Soifon added to no one in particular, "Stupid." "Oh, boy…" Kyōraku mumbled to himself. "Stop! This is disgraceful! Kenpachi and Kurotsuchi, stand down!" Yamamoto hollered at the two captains then went back to the subject at hand, "But now you have some idea why you were called here, Gin. You acted independently, without orders. And by allowing your target to get away, you committed a blunder unworthy of your rank. I want to hear your explanation. That's why I called this meeting. What do you have to say? What is you explanation? Eh, Gin?" Ichimaru diverted the attention from himself, "Well, I honestly thought I was called here about the rumors." "What rumors?" Zaraki inquired somewhat obnoxiously. "Yes, Gin." the Head-Captain could not contain his curiosity, "What are you talking about?" Aizen added, "I think he means the rumors about Captain Kurotsuchi and Kyōraku." "What?" Kurotsuchi exclaimed suddenly in surprise.

"Well," Kyōraku dipped his straw hat and spoke simply, "It seems like the cat's out of the bag, Mayuri." "What are you talking about?" the painted man replied snarkily. "I think we all know who those rumors are about…" the brown-haired captain stated, trying to play it cool. "What are you playing at, Kyōraku?" Kurotsuchi sneered and went on, "You are obviously the one who's having the affair! The way you prattle around with her, showing her off to everyone like she's some kind of trophy on your mantel." "You're not the same way?" Kyōraku spat back somewhat defensively, "I hear you've been parading around your division like a love struck school girl." The Captain of the Twelfth Division gasped dramatically, "I never!" Hitsugaya grimaced, "That is so gross." "Indecent!" Komamura added. "I never would have imagined something like this from Captain Kurotsuchi." Tōsen glowered. Unohana just shook her head in disappointment. "Enough!" Yamamoto hollered, "Captain Kyōraku and Captain Kurotsuchi, you are both the subject of these rumors and I find that they are true. It is obvious that—" The Head-Captain was interrupted by a loud banging sound. "Emergency! Emergency! Intruder in the Seireitei! All guardsmen to battle stations!"


	23. Enlightenment

**Chapter 23:**

Enlightenment

Kurotsuchi walked into his bedroom and frowned when he saw Emily sleeping in his bed. He walked over to her, "Get up!" "What?" the blonde-haired woman mumbled as she stirred awake. The captain hollered, "Tell me everything you know this instance!" "Tell you about what?" Emily asked groggily. "There's Ryoka running amuck in the Seireitei!" Kurotsuchi announced and inquired angrily, "Didn't you hear the alarm!" "Oh," the young woman yawned, "That thing…Uh, no I did not." "I order you to reveal your secrets!" the painted man demanded furiously. "Um," Emily replied timidly, "How about no?" "What do you mean, 'no'?" Kurotsuchi interrogated. "I can't?" the short woman answered. The captain proceeded to threaten her, "So help me I will start experimenting on you again!" "Christ, calm down!" she was starting to panic, "Let me think—" "Don't think just spit it out!" the flustered man hounded her. "Shut the fuck up!" Emily lost her cool and screamed, "Can't I talk to Heather first so we can figure out the situation?" "That freak of nature?" Kurotsuchi argued, "You will do no such thing!" "But I can't just tell you everything, your head will explode!" the blonde-haired woman attempted to explain. The captain hissed in response, "It will not!" Emily shot daggers at the man and spoke to him in an equally dark tone, "I refuse to tell you anything until you let me talk to Heather first." Kurotsuchi was stunned. He gawked at her for several seconds before stuttering in frustration, "I—I can't believe you! You—you're making this so difficult! I—I will not stand for—damn it all—fine!"

Emily and the painted man made their way to Eighth Division. Kurotsuchi spotted an officer at his post and inquired snippily, "You there, where is your captain?" At first, the Soul Reaper had seemed shocked that the captain was addressing him, let alone near the Eighth Division. He looked around and then pointed at himself in question. "Yes, you!" Kurotsuchi raised his voice in annoyance. Emily tried to hide her smile, the situation seemed ironic. The Soul Reaper hesitated but answered firmly, "Captain Kyōraku went back to his home. He's off duty until this afternoon." The Twelfth Division Captain let a sound of pure irritation escape his lips. As Emily was about to head in the direction of Kyōraku's home, Kurotsuchi swept her off her feet. In the blink of an eye, the two had already arrived at their destination. "Would you at least warn me?" Emily yelled at the man as he released her. "Shut up!" the painted man snapped and knocked on the door. It took a few moments but Kyōraku finally answered. He gave his fellow captain a look and then smiled once he noticed Emily. "Well, hello there." the brown-haired man greeted warmly, "Sorry but Heather's kind of stubborn about waking up right now." "So you haven't gotten a thing out of her either." Kurotsuchi concluded with a huff, giving Emily a dirty look. "I would really appreciate it if Emily would try her luck on waking her." Kyōraku offered lamely then explained, "She's learned how to tune me out."

"Oh, for the love of!" the painted man was cross. Emily tried her hardest to stifle her laughter. "Get out of the way!" Kurotsuchi ordered as he forced himself into his fellow captain's home. "Where is she?" he demanded before he heard a loud thump coming from one of the rooms of the house. "Aw, man. She's throwing things again." Kyōraku grimaced as he followed Emily and her angry companion. Kurotsuchi finally reached the master bedroom. He slammed the door open, stomped towards the bed, and grabbed the end of the covers. Instantaneously, the Captain of Eighth Division was at Heather's side and held the covers in place. "It's quite apparent you forgot that every woman's different in sleeping apparel." Kōyraku fumed as he informed the shorter man. Emily glared at Kurotsuchi. He paused and returned a glare before hollering, "I don't care what she's wearing! It's nothing I haven't seen before!" "She's not wearing anything." the brown-haired man stated warningly. Emily face-palmed. "Oh," the painted man said softly as he let go of bed spread, "Well, then in that case." The Twelfth Division Captain swiftly made his way to the nightstand and picked up a glass of water.

Both Emily and Kyōraku sensed the danger in the other captain's actions. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" the taller man tried to stop the scientist but it was too late. The liquid was poured over Heather's head. She sprung up into a sitting position with a loud curse on her lips, "What the fuck?" "See, that's how you get it—" Kurotsuchi started smugly but was cut off by the recently awoken woman trying to pounce on him. Kyōraku leapt into action by holding onto Heather in an attempt to keep her covered and protect the other captain. "What the hell?" the painted man flinched. Emily screamed and covered her eyes. She then blindly but successfully reached over and shielded Kurotsuchi's eyes as well. The brown-haired man pinned a thrashing Heather to the bed. She was still trying to attack the other man. Emily grabbed the captain by the hand and yelled, "Let's get out of here!" They escaped just in time and stopped in the living room. Kurotsuchi asked, "What's her problem?" Emily gave him a threatening look. He rolled his eyes and responded obliviously, "Okay, you saw her. Now you can tell me about the Ryoka."

"No!" Emily hollered. "Well, why not?" the painted man snapped. She sighed exasperatedly, "I have to talk to Heather about it first." Kurotsuchi groaned in aggravation. Kyōraku entered the living room. "Hey," Emily greeted softly and asked, "Is Heather okay?" "Yeah, she's fine." the captain stated whilst giving the painted man a dirty look, "She said she'll come out and talk on one condition." "What's that?" the young woman inquired. Kyōraku took a deep breath and explained, "That Mayuri apologizes and doesn't talk afterwards. No matter what Heather might say." They both looked to Kurotsuchi expectantly. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me…" the captain rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. "Mayuri..." Emily gave him a look. "Well, if you don't follow the conditions then I guess we'll have to go without knowing anything about the Ryoka." Kyōraku raised his voice dangerously, "But I'll let you do the honor of explaining to Old Man Yama why we don't have anything." Kurotsuchi made another disconcerting sound. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and growled, "Fine, bring her out."

"Heather," the brown-haired man called for the woman, "You can come out now." Suddenly, she entered the room with a foreboding expression. There was an awkward silence. "Well?" Emily questioned the man with a tone. He groaned again before answering, "I'm sor….sor….I'm trying to say that I apolo….apolo—I'm sorry, okay!" "That doesn't sound like you're sorry at all." Heather hassled the man. Kurotsuchi nearly screamed causing Emily and Heather to stifle their laughter. Kyōraku smirked as the situation was beginning to lighten. The painted man grit his teeth and mumbled loud enough for the three to hear, "I am sorry." "Aw," Heather could not hold her laughter any longer, "He's got feelings." The captain turned red in fury but kept silent. "Okay, Heather." Emily giggled, "Don't make him blow a gasket." "You're no fun." the woman with the faded hair color added. "I know." her friend replied cheerfully.

"Do you two…mind?" Heather asked the two men, gesturing towards the door. "Sure thing." Kyōraku winked at the woman then turned to the painted man, "Let's go, Mayuri." Kurotsuchi growled lowly and followed his fellow captain to the front door. As the door shut behind them, Emily and Heather looked at one another in silence, wide-eyed. They burst into laughter. After a while, they settled down. "Alright," Emily smiled at her friend, "We need to talk about Ichigo." "Oh, he's here already?" Heather inquired. "Yeah," the shorter woman explained, "Gin already tried to kill him and they had the meeting where the alarm went off. You remember, don't you?" "Vaguely. I didn't hear a thing though." the almost white-haired woman answered and glowered at the door, "I'm kinda' still waking up." Emily nodded in understanding, "Same." The reply gained Heather's attention and she asked, "So what do we tell them?" Her friend shrugged, "I don't know. I suppose we could tell them their names." "Sounds good." the tallest woman smiled. Emily grinned back, "Alrighty." Heather walked over to the door and opened it to reveal the two men bickering. "Don't talk about Heather that way!" Kyōraku defended now losing his temper, "Emily is the exact same way!" "Oh, no, she is not! Didn't you hear what Tōsen said about her?" the painted man snapped back, "He nearly lost his position as captain because of your one's doings!"

"And that's the day I realized I was a bad person." Heather interjected not amused. The brown-haired man looked to her wide-eyed and replied, "You're not a bad person, Heather…just misunderstood." Emily overheard the conversation and added, "They said that about Bigfoot but you don't see him around, now do you?" "Some defense you are!" Kyōraku retaliated, "What kind of a friend are you?" The shortest woman laughed wickedly as she replied in whisper, "The best friend she could ever have." "Cut it out, you guys, and get in here." Heather stated getting serious. The captain grumbled to his painted cohort, "Now I see why no one likes you, Mayuri." Kurotsuchi shot back angrily, "I don't like anyone either!"

They both entered the home. "What's the story, girls?" Kyōraku questioned the two women. Emily and Heather looked to one another. As the blonde-haired woman was about to speak her friend interjected, "Well, it all started when I two…" "Heather," Emily shushed. "I'm not even sorry." Heather giggled. The shortest friend cleared her throat, "There's a total of five Ryoka—" "Don't forget the cat!" the woman with the faded hair color interrupted. Emily gave Heather a look and continued, "And a cat. But the one you have to worry about is their leader, Ichigo Kurosaki. He's gonna' be the pain in your ass." "Rigged fights everywhere!" the taller woman added irritably. "No one cares about your opinion, Heather…" Emily announced. Her friend grumbled. "Anyways," the blonde-haired woman proceeded to explain, "There's the stupid ginger, Ichigo. The witless wonder, Orihime. The juggernaut, Chad—" Heather interjected once more, "There's also a gorilla from the Shiba clan called Ganju."

"Another Shiba?" Kyōraku asked, "Interesting. And the last one?" Emily replied, "The Quincy, Uryu" "A Quincy!" Kurotsuchi chimed excitably. "Yes, Mayuri," the shortest woman in the room pointed out, "Now be quiet. I don't even have to look at Heather's face to tell she's already shooting a death glare at you." He became silent. Kyōraku stated simply, "Those all sound impressive but I don't understand why they have a cat with them." "That part comes much later." Heather clarified, "I'd like to keep your brains inside your pretty little head." "It's true!" Emily declared dramatically, "Your brains might explode all over the room. The both of you." "Ah, ok." the brown-haired man laughed lightly. "But yeah," the woman with the faded hair color went on, "That's all we can tell you for now." Kurotsuchi broke his silence, "Wait! That's too little information! What are we supposed to do with that?" She gave the man a mean look and snapped, "You—for one thing—I don't give a shit." "Heather, be nice." Emily defended the scientist, "He's not saying anything bad." "We had an agreement." the tallest woman sneered. "I know, just calm down." her friend tried to assure her, "I'm gonna' take him and go, alright?" Heather cried, "Don't leave me! He can go but don't leave me!" "I think it's for the best, sweetheart." Kyōraku patted the woman on the back sincerely. "Ah!" the young woman groaned, "Fine, just don't tell him anything else." Emily smiled and motioned to her mouth, "My lips are sealed." Kurotsuchi scoffed, "Wait, what do we tell the Head-Captain?" The blonde-haired woman answered, "Just tell him what we said." "It's not like he's gonna' chop your heads off." Heather chuckled.


	24. Damages

**Chapter 24:**

Damages

A blast of energy shot a hole through one of the walls of the Fourth Division General Relief Station. Kurotsuchi laughed darkly, "So you refuse to talk, eh? Madarame!" "Please, Twelfth Division Captain! This kind of post combat interrogation is strictly prohibited inside the relief stations!" The captain shot another blast of energy at nurse. However, he missed and hit the wall beside her. "Shut up!" Kurotsuchi yelled causing the nurse to run off. "Mayuri, stop being like this—" "Silence! I will do as I please. You weren't brought here to babbler." Emily gave him the dirtiest look. The painted man gave her a look suggesting that she give him a break. He quickly then turned back to the Third Seat. "I'm not refusing to talk." Madarame declared, "I just don't know anything. I don't know the Ryoka's objectives or destination. I know nothing." "So that's it?" Kurotsuchi inquired then stated, "You lost and came here without obtaining any intelligence." "That's right. But if I may add one thing." the Third Seat announced, "I didn't see the enemies face or hear his voice. So I have nothing to tell you." Emily slowly started to remember what was to happen next but before she could do anything Kurotsuchi went on. "Very well! Then your punishment shall be commensurate with your disgrace!" As he raised his hand to attack, another hand came and grabbed the captain's wrist stopping him. It was the Captain of the Eleventh Division, "This is irregular. When were you authorized to punish men from other divisions? Eh, Kurotsuchi?" The painted man snarled, "Zaraki!"

The young woman was yet again mystified by Zaraki's presence. It was too quiet. They looked at her. Emily gawked at the man but not as bad as before. "This again?" Kurotsuchi snapped at her as he pulled his arm away from his fellow captain. The tallest man gave her a look. The young woman blushed and looked away, "I can't help it, okay?" Kurotsuchi groaned and rolled his eyes. He stepped in front of her, his back facing her. The painted man glared at Zaraki but spoke to Emily, "What can I do if his captain is here? I shall retreat for now." He turned toward the doorway, grabbing Emily's hand like a child, "We're going." Nemu was slow to follow. "Move it you, idiot!" Kurotsuchi bellowed. The black-haired lieutenant obeyed, "Yes, sir." Emily and Zaraki's eyes locked right before she was dragged away. The captain simply stared blankly at the spot she was just in. He shrugged and turned to Madarame.


	25. Personal

**Chapter 25:**

Personal

"See ya', guys!" Heather waved goodbye as she parted from her group of friends. She was merely walking a few feet to Kyōraku's front door when she heard someone clear their throat. The young woman froze for a moment then turned. With a pause she asked, "Captain….Kuchiki?" "It is comforting to find that you have learned to respectfully greet authority figures." the captain stepped out of the shadows, approaching her. Heather shook her head, "Uh-huh….What can I do to—I mean—For you—What can I do for you?…Sir…" Kuchiki responded with a tone, "You can explain why you have held vital information from the Captains of the Court Guard Squads." "Alright, I'm lost…" the woman with the faded hair color replied. The captain elaborated, letting the words roll off his tongue, "Lieutenant Abarai." "You mean Renji?" Heather inquired, "Okay. What about him?"

She leaned against the door and folded her arms across her chest coolly. Kuchiki explained, "He was injured in battle with a Ryoka late this afternoon." "Oh…Oh! Shit!—I mean—Crap!—That's awful." Heather stumbled over her words. "You knew about this." the black-haired man accused. She whispered and motioned with her fingers, "A little…" Kuchiki nearly growled at the woman, "Why did you nor your friend not inform anyone of this brutal attack on an assistant captain?" "Well," Heather trailed off nervously, "There's two reasons…" "Reasons?" the captain grit his teeth. "Yeah, one's more important than the other." the young woman answered then tried to change the subject, "It's awfully cold out here, isn't it?"

The Captain of the Sixth Division demanded, "Continue." Heather attempted to explain but prattled on nervously, "Okay. Well, um, you see…we kinda sorta'…since we've been living in this wonderful place—God, Emily and I love you guys!" Kuchiki gave her the coldest stare. "Right, um—Not only would we kill you all with massive brain aneurisms due to too much information." the almost white-haired woman continued but the captain simply stared at her. "We forgot." she blurted out. Kuchiki appeared as if he were about to yell at Heather but spoke calmly, "You mean this important detail just happened to slip your mind?" "Like we could have stopped him anyway?" she winced timidly. "You could have come to me." the captain retorted.

"And what would you have done, Almighty Kuchiki?" the young woman questioned, slowly regaining her courage. "Please refrain from calling me that." the black-haired ordered. "You didn't answer the question." Heather countered matter-of-factly. He snapped, "I do not have to explain anything to you." "So basically you wanted to ditch him in a cell to die not a few short hours ago," the woman challenged, getting fed up with him, "Yet you are telling me right now that you wanted to stop him before he got hurt?" Kuchiki paused and looked at her, a little less coldly than before. "Oh!" Heather exclaimed softly in realization as their eyes locked and he turned to leave. "Aw," the tall female cooed, "Don't worry, Cap'. I'll keep this our little secret, alright?" The captain continued to walk away. "Tight ass…" she grumbled as turned to open the front door.


	26. Warning

**Chapter 26:**

Warning

It was after midnight when Emily's eyes slowly opened. She was cuddled perfectly in a slumbering Kurotsuchi's arms. The woman's mind wandered throughout the night to point where she could no longer stand it. She had to do something. Emily stealthily lifted the captain's arm off of her and slid out of bed. She dressed quietly and proceeded to sneak out of the bedroom window. With one last glance at her sleeping lover, she was gone.

Emily had considered a lot of things since she learned of Ichigo's arrival. She pondered that maybe because of her and Heather's interference in this world, it would alter the outcome of certain situations. Perhaps not everything would go according to plan. Only one person's name rung in her head—Zaraki. Despite her feelings for the Twelfth Division Captain, her heart still ached at the thought of her first love. Emily could not bear with the idea of losing Zaraki forever to his battle with Ichigo, even though that was not how it went in the story. The 'what if's' kept buzzing around in her mind.

The young woman had been walking around for quite some time. She could not remember the exact way to the Eleventh Division. Emily turned a corner and ran into something. "Hey! What're you doing out so late?" yelled a voice. She backed away and looked up to see it was a Soul Reaper. The blonde-haired woman stammered incoherently when she saw there were two of them. "Yeah," the second Soul Reaper joined in, "A pretty thing like you shouldn't be wandering around alone when there's Ryoka." Before Emily could get a word out the first man interjected, "Wait—What Division are you from?" "Maybe she's one of the Ryoka!" the other Soul Reaper added. "Yeah! I bet we can get a big reward!" he cheered. His cohort growled and approached Emily, "Let's get her!" "Oh god!" she cried out and started running for her dear life. The two Soul Reapers chased her for several minutes and it was not long before the young woman started to lose her breath. Emily saw a fence and thought that maybe she could get over it. The men drew closer. She had no time to think. She picked up speed and with the last of her strength, she flew over the fence.

"Hey," one of the Soul Reapers hollered, "You can't go there!" Emily landed face first into a patch of grass. "We're gonna get you, you damned Ryoka!" the other man yelled as the two of them readied themselves to hop over the fence. She lifted her head wearily and saw the Captain of the Eleventh Division sitting nearby. They simply stared at each other wide-eyed before the man with the eye patch spoke, "What the hell?" Emily turned beet red. Zaraki scoffed and looked away from her in annoyance, "Relax, boys, it's not a Ryoka." "Captain?" the two Soul Reapers cried out in confusion as they poked their heads over the fence. "Yeah," the captain rolled his eyes and ordered, "Get back to your posts." The men saluted, "Yes, sir!" Emily still laid on her belly in the grass. It took her a moment or two to compose herself. She sat up and nervously tried the get the grass and dirt off of her clothes and face. Zaraki leered unhappily, "What do you think you're doing?" The young woman tried to speak but only nervous stutters came out. "Spit it out already." the captain growled, losing his patience.

"Sorry," Emily's blush darkened, "I'm here because I wanted to warn you." "What?" he asked, the woman finally caught his attention. She clarified, "You'll be fighting one of the Ryoka soon and—" "Where?" Zaraki cut her off, inquiring eagerly. "Somewhere near the Repentance Cell, I think…" Emily trailed off in uncertainty. "You don't say?" the man grinned wickedly. She went on timidly, "Yeah, you could die, so just...please be careful." "Sure." Zaraki replied smugly, ignoring the woman's kind intentions.


	27. Unlucky

**Chapter 27:**

(Un)lucky

The captains of the Gotei Thirteen were lined up for a meeting with the Head-Captain. "The situation is dire." Yamamoto stated and continued, "We've lost an adjutant of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. This is now a matter for our best people. I will overlook Ichimaru's actions from before as well as indecency of Kurotsuchi and Kyōraku's authority breech." "Thank you." Ichimaru responded politely. Kyōraku hid his face with his hat and Kurotsuchi simply glowered at the floor. The Head-Captain went on, "I am permitting all top officers, including assistant captains, to be armed with Zanpakutō and use full wartime powers within the Court. Pass that along to those who could not be here. Gentlemen, let us declare all out war on these Ryoka."

Kyōraku walked back to his division alone. He thought about the meeting and how he got off lucky this time. The man felt bad about the situation but did not dwell on it. Once he arrived to his office, he decided he deserved a little break. After a while of snoozing and munching on sake buns, the captain was awoken by two particular voices. "Where could the captain be?" inquired one voice. The other added, "I don't know. Why don't we check his office?" "He's never there." the first voice scoffed. Kyōraku felt something land on his body. He opened his eyes to find Heather straddling him. "You were wrong, Nanao." the young woman announced with a grin. "Looks like it." Lieutenant Ise smiled softly. Kyōraku laughed and asked, "What's going on, you two?" "We were just wondering where you were." Heather smiled and kissed him sweetly. Ise walked over to the window, "He's coming…A Ryoka." "What?" the brown-haired man inquired, "Aw…here already? Oh well. I guess we'd better get going." Heather sighed, "Aw…that requires my movement." The lieutenant made a face at the couple and asked, "Are you sure you want to go? I can handle one Ryoka."

The woman with the faded hair color got off of the captain and they both stood. "I have to, Old Man Yama's orders." Kyōraku stated simply, "I don't want him to think we can't handle it. I wouldn't want anyone's reputation to get ruined. And if my Nanao went out to battle and became damaged goods, I don't know what I'd do." The captain patted her shoulder playfully. "Who's 'your' Nanao?" Ise asked and hit his hand with her fan. Heather raised her eyebrow, "Excuse me, dear?"


	28. Blame

**Chapter 28:**

Blame

Letting out a deep sigh, the woman was bored out of her mind. Emily should have figured that Kurotsuchi would force her to come along with him to chase down the Ryoka. He was slinking in the shadows listening in to the conversations of Orihime and Uryū. "Mayuri—" she started but was cut off with a harsh shushing noise. Emily sighed and started to walk off. "Where do you think you're going?" the painted man hissed. The blonde-haired woman retorted, "I'm going to see Heather. I'm sick of waiting around for you to make your move." "Fine!" Kurotsuchi snapped, "Go if you must! I thought you would have wanted to stay with me but I guess you don't really care about what happens." Emily grimaced at the tone in his voice as she walked away.

After some wandering, did she realize that she was far out of her way to any division that was remotely friendly to unexpected guests. She had to cut through the path of the Higashi Daishōheki. "Damnit! Damnit! Damnit!" Emily hissed angrily, as she trudged through the streets. It only took a short while to get to her destination. The young woman had a feeling that she should turn back but ignored the feeling as she stubbornly pushed on.

Emily's instincts had been proven correct when she turned the corner to find a sword sticking out of a wall. At first, she did not understand and simply stared at it for several seconds before her trance was broken by cries. It was Hinamori sobbing as she and Kira were being apprehended. The Fifth Division Lieutenant had noticed Emily's presence and fought against Matsumoto's grip. "You! Why didn't you tell us!" the distressed woman yelled, "I thought we were your friends! Why did you just let him die?" Emily gave them all an apologetic glance and hung her head, "Can't you understand? I couldn't tell anyone. The consequences could have been more severe." Her explanation fell on deaf ears as Hinamori was dragged away.

Hitsugaya gave the blonde-haired woman a harsh look before passing her by. He stopped and asked coldly over his shoulder, "Is there anything _else_ we should know about?" "If only I could tell you." Emily gave a sad sigh, "Just keep a good eye on Momo." "I intend to." the young captain answered before walking away. Emily mentally flinched, feeling the ice in his voice. The Third Division Captain approached her with his usual grin set in place. "Don't take it too hard, Emily." he told her in a mocking way, "It must be hard to be a boarder-lined traitor to all of those you care about, whether you mean to or not."**  
**


	29. Meeting Chad

**Chapter 29:**

Meeting Chad

"That's your cue." Heather stated nonchalantly. "On it." the brown-haired man jumped down in front of the young man called 'Chad'. He stood up and greeted the stranger, "I'm Captain Shunsui Kyōraku of the Eighth Division. Pleased to meet you." Sado inquired, "Captain…of the Eighth Division?" "Yes, pleased to meet you." the captain repeated kindly before noticing the petals were still falling around him. "Huh? Nanao! Heather! Enough with the petals!" Kyōraku called to the women above him. "I never touched the stuff!" Heather retorted. The brown-haired man cooed, "Nanao, that's enough! Tell her it's enough, my sweet!" Heather smacked the basket of flowers up out of the lieutenant's hands and over the rail, which fell on top of Kyōraku. The young woman cheered in delight, "Hey, it worked!" Sado just stood there blankly and remarked, "Sorry but I don't have time for your comedy routine. I'm just passing through." The captain unburied himself from the petals and asked, "Aw, can't you play a little longer? Sheesh, nobody's any fun nowadays."

As Kyōraku stood up, the young man said, "I'm in a hurry, please step aside. You don't seem like a bad guy…I don't want this to end in a fight." "Oh, I don't want to fight either but I can't let you pass." the captain commented then asked, "Might I convince you to retreat?" "I can't do that." Sado replied. "I see then it can't be helped." Kyōraku stated as he sat down with sake and drinking saucers that he had on hand, "Let's have a drink! Like friends!" The boy gave him a look, "Huh?" "You know if you won't retreat then maybe you could just stay here. Don't worry, it will all be over soon. The others are on the move even now. This unpleasantness will soon be finished." the brown-haired man responded warmly as he poured himself some sake, "Until then…have a drink with me." Sado questioned with concern in his voice, "The others? Ichigo and the rest…are being attacked by the other captains?" Kyōraku made a disappointed face, "Uh-oh. I may have said too much." "This changes things." the boy stated then ordered the older man, "Mr. Kyōraku, please move—now." The captain looked bored and asked before taking a sip of his sake, "And if I say no?" Sado began to ready his attack and declared, "Then I'll move you!" The young man aimed the attack at the captain who simply moved his hand in a swatting motion obliterating the assault. Kyōraku still looked unimpressed, "Uh-oh. Things are getting…complicated."

Sado continued to send attacks at the brown-haired man but it was futile, he simply kept dodging them. "Stop making it look so easy!" Heather yelled at her captain and the Eighth Division Lieutenant just shook her head. The boy looked exasperated, he wasting too much energy on pointless attacks. He did not understand how Kyōraku was dodging them so well. Heather directed her yelling to Sado, "Hey, Chad! I hope you know that Ichigo won't think any less of you if you retreated to fight another day and stop putting yourself in the hole!" The young man panted, "How do you know Ichigo?" "Heather, do you think that's such a good idea?" Kyōraku looked up at her. "Shun, I know you have to, but I'm sure you don't want him hurt either." she recognized the captain's situation and continued, "He's still just a little guy after all." "Thanks for the advice," Sado thanked them sincerely yet continued stubbornly, "But I can't."

"Don't do it." Kyōraku warned but the boy aimed and fired another attack. The captain used Shunpo and was behind Sado in an instant. "You should know…there are two types of moves—one that cannot be performed at all once your limit has been reached while the other can be performed beyond your limit at the cost of your life force." Kyōraku put the tip of his index and middle finger on the young fighter's back, "Your move is obviously the latter kind." Sado was sent flying and skid across the ground. The captain explained, "And right now, you're way beyond your limit. Here's some friendly advice—leave. If you keep this up, you'll die." The boy attempted to stand.

Kyōraku grimaced, "Oh. My, my…why do you insist on fighting? What is your purpose? Why did you come here? That one up there won't tell me a thing." He shot Heather a dirty look. "Hey!" the young woman exclaimed. Sado got up onto one knee and clarified, "My purpose is to save Rukia Kuchiki." "That's it? Really?" the captain questioned as he looked at Heather again. She just shrugged indifferently. Kyōraku turned back to Sado and went on, "Rukia? She went missing in your world only this spring. You couldn't have known her for very long. A thin friendship. Hard to believe it's worth risking your life for." The young man slowly stood up and panted, "You're right. I hardly know her. Maybe I wouldn't risk my life for _her_. But Ichigo wants to save her. Ichigo is putting his life on the line. That's reason enough for me to do the same. That's all the reason I need." Heather looked to Ise, "What did I just say? Is he really that…" The lieutenant shrugged, "That's his decision." Heather slouched over and sighed overdramatically like Emily typically does, "I tried…" "Oh. Well your resolve seems very strong. It would be disrespectful for me to try and talk you out of it." the Eighth Division Captain reached for his weapons, "Alright, then I suppose I'll have to kill you." Sado charged at the captain, powering up his final attack. Within a blink of an eye, Kyōraku slashed his opponent across the chest. "Sorry," the older man apologized as the boy fell to the ground.

Lieutenant Ise and Heather were overlooking the damage to the surrounding area on a nearby rooftop. The woman with the faded hair color was catching her breath. She still was not used to using Shunpo. "Oh—" Heather took a deep breath, "—by the way—there's someone here to see you—" "What?" Ise turned to look at the young woman when she saw the messenger appear. The man spoke, "I'm sorry to bother you, Lieutenant, but I have a message—" Heather interjected, still breathing heavily, "Yeah—top secret—concerning Aizen's death." "And you couldn't of told use earlier?" the lieutenant exclaimed. The messenger looked more than bewildered. "I told you," the taller woman caught her breath, "I'm not supposed to reveal everything, even the important stuff. It doesn't matter, whatever Emily and I do would put us at fault from here on out. Either we screw this up, or we let the plot run its natural course as accurately as possible." "You should do what's for the greater good." Ise accused. Heather sighed, wanting nothing more than to tell her the truth, "Then we might get someone else killed. Then where would it stop?"

The messenger had left before the two even noticed. The taller woman added, "By the way, Chad isn't dead." "What was that?" Kyōraku called to the two as he walked over to the boy, "Oh, you're right." "Of course I'm right." Heather laughed softly. Lieutenant Ise shook her head again. The situation was getting way too overwhelming.


	30. Meeting Uryū: Part I

**Chapter 30:**

Meeting Uryū

(Part I)

The Twelfth Division officers were screaming bloody murder as their bodies were exploding. One of the men screamed to their captain who was watching in the distance, "Captain! Captain Kurotsuchi! This isn't what you said we'd do! Capt—!" Before he could finish, his body swelled and continued to combust. Kurotsuchi commented, "It can't be helped. Once a grenade is thrown it shouldn't come flying back." "You're such an asshole, Mayuri." Emily snipped at the captain. "How dare you speak to me like that!" the painted man hollered, "I didn't see you trying to stop me!" "Meh…" Emily shrugged, not really caring for the situation.

The smoke cleared to reveal an orange shield protecting Orihime Inoue, Uryū Ishida, and Makizo Aramaki. "Oh, I forgot to mention that." Emily added and apologized, "Sorry, hunny." "Will you just stop?" Kurotsuchi hissed, growing more and more annoyed. The shield shattered and Ishida looked over his shoulder. The captain's eyes widened with fascination at the girl's shield. He turned to Emily and yelled, "Why didn't you tell me about that earlier?" He quickly collected his composer and turned back to the other three. "What a fascinating move! The shield…is the girl behind you making it?" Kurotsuchi asked eagerly. The young man turned around completely and responded, "I'm not in the mood for conversation." Kurotsuchi exclaimed overdramatically, "Marvelous! I've never seen such a thing!" Emily rolled her eyes and scoffed. He continued loudly, "You girl! How would you like to be my research subject?" "That's enough! We're not making any deals with you!" Ishida defended his friend.

Kurotsuchi ignored him, "I'll make it worth your while. Don't be afraid. I'm kind to women; just ask this one over here." He motioned to Emily. She sneered, "Hey, don't bring me into this." "Silence!" the captain spat and turned back to the Ryoka, "I know! I'll offer you the best possible terms! I'll restrict the daily drug regime to eight doses and only five hours for biomechanical experiments! You'll be fed orally! And you'll be given clothing when you sleep! And I'll try hard not to perform any modifications that might kill you! So what do you say? These are exceptional terms for a research subject." "Oh, really?" Emily growled. Kurotsuchi looked to the young woman and motioned to her to stop being so jealous. She folded her arms over her chest and huffed, looking away from him angrily. He rolled his eyes and scoffed when he saw Ishida behind him pointing his bow and arrow at him.

"A rare species. It's been years since I last saw one." the captain continued, "I'm sorry but I've already completed my research on your kind. I'm not interested in Quincies anymore. Now step aside." Ishida gave Kurotsuchi an odd look and asked, "'Completed your research'? 'Not interested'? What do you mean? Who are you?" "Hmm. Do you Ryoka charge into enemy territory without studying the enemy first? How foolish." the painted man went on, "I would think you'd at least know the top thirteen Soul Reapers? I am Captain of the Twelfth Division and Chief of Research and Development. Mayuri Kurotsuchi. But you can forget that. Because in a moment…you won't know anything." As the words left the captains mouth, the Quincy panicked, "Orihime! Run! Now!" "But…no!" the girl argued, "I wanna' fight too!"

"Just run!" Emily yelled a little too angrily at her. Kurotsuchi gave his companion a dirty look. The brown-haired woman looked confused, "What?" Ishida noticed Aramaki trying to slink away, "Hey! You! From Squad Eleven! Take the woman and run!" The man turned, "Are you crazy? Why should I?" Emily mumbled something under her breath. "Because you don't want to die! If you stay here, you're doomed! Force her if you have to! If you don't…I'll shoot you right now!" Aramaki grabbed the girl instantly and ran off with her, "Aw, rats! C'mon! Let's go, little girl!" Kurotsuchi snarled, "Did I say you could go?" His arm extended and flew toward Inoue and the man. Simultaneously, Ishida blew off the captain's hand with an arrow and stated, "Did I say you could stop them?" "Listen, boy!" Kurotsuchi grew angrier, "I'm really not interested in you!" Emily giggled a little even though she was still mad. The painted man yelled at her, "Shut up!" Kurotsuchi's arm was still dripping with blood as he turned to Ishida, "Now, boy…it's actually very time-consuming to set this thing up." The Quincy took a step back in caution as the captain pulled what was left of his arm off.

Ishida was shocked at the sight before him. "Haa…painful. Very painful." Kurotsuchi whimpered slightly and reached into his uniform, "Hurts terribly." Emily gave the man a concerned look, almost feeling bad. He pulled out a needle and injected himself with its contents. Suddenly, the captain's arm grew back. "My head feels like it's going to melt." Kurotsuchi muttered painfully then composed himself, "It seems the girl got away. Oh well. If there is a strand of her hair lying around that's all I'll need to find her. Oh, and when I do, I want to study her until there's only mincemeat left. Every minute—every second—is precious." Ishida shot two arrows at Kurotsuchi who dodged them effortlessly. Suddenly, the Quincy was on the rooftop and as the dust cleared, he saw the painted man. Kurotsuchi commented while approaching Ishida, "Not bad. You move well. What you did earlier, and now this. It was Hiren Kyaku, wasn't it?"

The boy took aim but the captain continues, "Moving at high speed by creating a current of spiritual energy beneath your feet. That's an advanced Quincy move, is it not? I'm surprised a fellow your age has mastered it. You're good. You must be very talented." Ishida appeared frightened as the painted man went on, "But I can't let you keep on like that. We, too, have a move called Shunpo. It's quite tiring." Kurotsuchi put a finger to his lips, "I'll have to study the girl later because I'm a busy man, unlike you. I've decided to kill you, with the least effort. Tear him up, Ashisogi Jizō!" The captain readied himself for an attack when Ishida drew his weapon. However, Nemu appeared on the roof in the same instance. She grabbed the boy and they fell towards the ground. "Let go!" Ishida yelled, "Let—" He stopped in mid sentence as he noticed Kurotsuchi above them. The captain cut both his opponent and his lieutenant in a single attack. Nemu fell to the ground and limped away. She doubled over but smiled lightly the Kurotsuchi as he approached her.

Emily paused as she watched the scene unfold, her eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen. "Mayuri, no!" the young woman tried to stop the man but it was too late. Saying nothing, he punched Nemu in the face. Ishida was gawking at the two but before he could register what was happening, Emily ran over to the captain and shoved him angrily. "What do you think you're doing?" he yelled at the blonde-haired woman. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she screamed at the man at the top of her lungs. His eyes grew in size and his mouth was ajar. After all the time they had spent together, he had never seen Emily so enraged. "I was just—" Kurotsuchi started but was cut off by the younger woman. "No! You weren't just anything!" she threatened, "I swear to God, Mayuri, if you touch her one more time—" The man became annoyed and interrupted Emily, "Why do you care what I do? How a father treats his own daughter is none of your business!" "Daughter?" Ishida gasped loudly. The two stopped bickering and looked at the Quincy. Kurotsuchi scoffed, "That's right. Do you want to know her name? It's Nemu Kurotsuchi. She's the result of my experiments with Gigai and Gikon. She is my daughter. Please don't bore me with your righteous indignation." The captain huffed and gave Emily a dirty look before walking over to Nemu. Emily yelled and went to stop him but it was too late. Kurotsuchi had grabbed his lieutenant's head and slammed it into the ground. "Stop!" Ishida screamed and attempted to stand. However, the Quincy could not move.


	31. Reminiscing

**Chapter 31:**

Reminiscing

Heather sat outside on the ground staring at the sky. She hated having people mad at her. The woman was trained to be a type of person that had to break her back to please everyone. It killed her to know that half of the people she cared about were probably never going to forgive her for all of what she allowed to happen. "Hey there," Kyōraku greeted tiredly as he sat down next to her, "Restless?" "How'd ya figure?" Heather asked not taking her eyes off the sky. "I tried to bring you in a little closer and all I found was your pillow." the man told her wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "What's wrong?" "Just thinking on what I would be doing if I were back home." Heather explained. "This is your home now. We can't send you back, so you might want to forget the past." the captain tried his best to comfort the younger woman.

She sighed deeply, "I just can't forget, it was my entire life. This place is amazing and I've never been happier but it's still hard to shake old habits…memories." Kyōraku wrapped his other arm around her in an embrace, "I know it's hard but you have me and, more importantly, Emily. Just remember, you're never alone." He kissed her forehead. "Thanks, Shun." Heather smiled. "Speaking of Emily…" Kyōraku looked off in the distance. "What's wrong?" the woman with the faded hair color asked. The captain replied, "It seems like her and Mayuri are busy." "What do you mean?" Heather inquired. "Well, there's a flare in their spirit energy, which means…" Kyōraku trailed off. The young woman cried out, "Ew!" "No," the brown-haired man laughed and continued to explain, "Not that! They're fighting Ryoka." Heather laughed sheepishly, "Oh, Uryū, right…" "Pervert." he mocked and his companion stuck her tongue out at him.


	32. Meeting Uryū: Part II

**Chapter 32:**

Meeting Uryū

(Part II)

A giant blast of water hit the Captain of the Twelfth Division dead on. The unsuspecting Quincy's eyes widened at the sight. "Nemu, are you alright?" Emily inquired as she sheathed her Zanpakutō and crouched beside the lieutenant. "I…I'm alright, thank you." the black-haired woman replied in surprised relief. Kurotsuchi sat in the same spot where the blast had sent him. His eyes were like great saucers and he stammered incoherently in disbelief of what just happened. He could not believe the humiliation. Emily looked over to the captain. She smiled and shook her head, "Oh, geez…Nemu, just stay right here, okay?" The lieutenant nodded in response. Emily stood and walked over to Kurotsuchi. "You okay, fella'?" the young woman asked, trying not to laugh. The man gave her the dirtiest look. Emily covered her mouth to stifle her laugh but when she saw the look on his face, she realized how upset he was. She smiled kindly and stretched her hand out to help him up. The captain swatted her hand away and sneered, "Hmph!"

Kurotsuchi stood up and attempted to wring some of the water out of his uniform. His makeup was all smudged and running. The man paused as if he had forgotten something. "Uryū, why don't you try getting up?" Emily suggested to the Quincy. He replied, "Huh?" The boy attempted to move but his body was frozen. Kurotsuchi grinned. He had found something to take his frustration out on. "Go get him, tiger." Emily laughed and walked back over to Nemu. "I can't move!" Ishida cried. "Did you really need someone to tell you that you can't move? Imbecile." the captain explained, "Immobilizing the victim. That's what the Ashisogi Jizō does." The Quincy deduced, "It's some kind of paralyzing poison!" Kurotsuchi approached the boy. "Please. It's nothing so vulgar. You see, it selectively blocks only the neural impulses involved in movement. It synthesizes a very complex drug. It's not normal paralysis. You lose only the ability to move. In other words—" he paused his explanation only for a moment to stab Ishida's arm with his Zanpakutō, "You'll feel every bit of the pain." The captain stabbed him continuously while tauntingly added, "Here—and here—and here." The young man screamed out in agony during this process. "Ah well, compared to a woman's screams, a man's lack charm. I can't stand to hear them." Kurotsuchi mused as pulled his sword out of the Quincy.

Without thinking, the captain called out, "Nemu! Get up! You're going to finish him!" Receiving no response, he looked to his lieutenant and saw his companion there as well. "Oh, that's right. You're here." the man leered with annoyance. "What's that supposed mean?" Emily snapped, "You literally had to drag me here!" Kurotsuchi retorted, "Yes, well, I had no idea you were going to interfere so greatly!" The young woman scoffed and motioned with her hands, "Oh, excuse the fuck out of me if I don't want to watch you beat up on your kid!" "How dare you!" the captain snarled. "How dare I?" Emily asked sarcastically and went on, "I mean, couldn't you at least have waited until you were home alone? You had to do it in front of this little asshole and scar him for life?" Kurotsuchi raised his Zanpakutō threateningly, "That's enough out of you!" "What? You wanna' go, tough guy?" the blonde-haired woman readied her stance and continued to motion with her hands. "Would I!" Kurotsuchi growled as he took a step closer.

"Stop." Ishida suddenly demanded. The two bickering lovers became silent. The Captain of the Twelfth Division glanced menacingly over his shoulder, "What?" The Quincy repeated, "I told you to stop." Kurotsuchi turned on his heels and questioned the boy, "Haven't you had enough? Are you that big a fool? You feel pity for a woman, even though she's your enemy? Is this the honor you Quincies take such pride in?" Ishida gawked at the man, "What?" The captain clarified, "It must really mean something to you because you all…speak of it before you die." The boy questioned, "What are you talking about?" "I've told you. I've completed my research on Quincies. I've studied your kind thoroughly!" Kurotsuchi continued to explain, growing exceedingly irate, "I applied all manner of stimuli to their minds and bodies and observed their responses! I drilled holes into their skulls while they were still alive! I made them burn their own children! I've vivisected them and crushed them! I studied them until they were nothing but pulp! And every single one of them said at some point that on their honor as Quincies they couldn't do such and such! On their honor as Quincies they would stop me! You're all so annoying! One stab from this will make all words of resistance meaningless."

Ishida scowled, "You dirty—" "Now calm down. This is where I tell you about my hardship. It was really difficult work. When I became the chief of Research and Development, Quincies were already a rare species. Soul Reapers were monitoring the few that were left. So I had to persuade the Soul Reapers assigned to them to delay their rescue. Then I turned the Quincy souls that they had brought back into research subjects. Do you have any idea how hard it was to arrange this? The last one was a nasty old man. He kept calling out the name of a student or a grandchild. It was disgraceful. Would you like to see a picture of him?" Kurotsuchi paused his rant to pull out a photograph from his uniform and tossed it over to the Quincy, "This photo was taken after I'd concluded my experiments. There's not much left of his original form. Now what was that student's name? Ah well. I tend to lose interest in my subjects after my experiments are over." As the captain finished his drawn out speech, a blast of spirit energy erupted from Ishida. "What?" Kurotsuchi gaped. "I'll tell you his student's name." the young man stood with his head low, holding the photograph, "It was Uryū. Uryū Ishida. The man's name was Sōken Ishida. He was my teacher and my grandfather. I'm glad Orihime isn't here. I wouldn't want her to see this. On my honor as a Quincy I'm going to kill you." The captain sounded his interest in the situation, "Hmm…"

Ishida tore the sleeve of his shitagi and wrapped the shreds around his arm as a makeshift band-aid. Kurotsuchi watched the boy with mild interest; it took him only a few seconds to realize that the Quincy was using Ransō Tengai. "Are you what they call a genius?" the captain asked but received nothing but a stern look. Ishida summoned his bow while Kurotsuchi pulled a weapon from his ear. "Excellent." the man remarked, "I believe you won't bore me after all. I'm not going to kill you. I'm taking you back alive. You and the girl will be my experiments." The Quincy reached for his glove and broke off an attachment causing the glove to shatter. A surge of spirit energy emitted from the boy. Kurotsuchi's eyes widened in awe. He stammered, "Wha—What? What's that?" As the dust settled, the captain saw Ishida's outfit had completely changed. The Quincy also had a reishi wing protruding from his shoulder. The man's eyes bugged out of his skull in amazement. He continued to stutter, "Wh—What is that? Such spiritual pressure! I've never seen anything like it! Never!" Ishida's wing began to absorb the reishi from the nearby buildings. Kurotsuchi smiled wickedly and stated, "You're exceeding your human limits, boy!"

The Quincy produced an arrow from the reishi he was collecting and fired it simultaneously at the captain. He barely dodged the attack and then another. Before Kurotsuchi could react, Ishida was above him and fired once more. The impact resulted in a large crash that left an even bigger crater. The Quincy landed gracefully onto the ground and declared, "Beg for mercy and never appear in front of me again. Do that and I'll let you live. Refuse and I'll send a bolt that's three times stronger." Kurotsuchi panted heavily as he crawled out of the destruction. He stood with his weapon in hand, however, was missing his left arm. The captain hollered in rage, "Don't push your luck, boy! You stupid Quincy! Very well. Then I'll return the favor! Bankai." Ishida stared in shock as the scene unfolded before him. "What? Ban…" the young man trailed off before his eyes widened in shock, "What?"

"Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō!" Kurotsuchi grinned maliciously, "Now your doom is sealed." The Quincy who was at first in a stupor at the captain's Bankai, now looked unmoved at the sight. "The Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō sprays lethal poison made from my blood for a hundred mile radius. It won't hurt me, of course. But you'll die. Sorry." the captain explained as blades appeared on his Bankai, "You would never make a fit research subject." Ishida summoned another arrow and declared, "I won't be the one to die. I'll shoot you before you can spray the fatal dose." Kurotsuchi laughed mockingly at the boy's boldness, "Oh, please! Be my guest!" The Bankai charged as Ishida released his arrow. The lieutenant and Emily stared in suspense as the dust settled from the head on attack. "C—C—C—Captain…" the black-haired woman stuttered. Kurotsuchi stood before them with a great hole through his body as well as his Bankai. Emily gave the man a look of empathy before turning away, unable to stand the bloody scene. He began to pant once more, "Blast—You—Stupid—Quincy!" The captain raised his Zanpakutō and ran it through his neck. Instantly, he was liquefied.


	33. Visit

**Chapter 33:**

Visit

There was a rapping at the door. "Who is it at this ungodly hour?" yelled a familiar voice from within. Suddenly, another voice replied, "Mayuri, stop." The first voice retorted, "No, take me to the door! I really want to see who would bother us right at this exact moment." "For Christ's sake…" the second trailed off. Heather and Kyōraku looked to one another for answers that neither of them had. The couple heard footsteps approach the door and a sound something heavy being placed on the floor. "Be careful!" the first voice snapped. The second sneered, "Shut up!" At the moment, the door opened and the first voice hollered, "Not you two!" The couple saw only Emily who looked more than unhappy and extremely tired. "Down here, you buffoons!" yelled the bodiless voice. They looked down and saw a large glass jar filled with a disgusting green liquid. Even more shocking there was an eyeball glaring at them from inside of it.

Heather cringed, "Oh, god! Is that—" "Mayuri?" Kyōraku cut his companion off in alarm. "Who do you think it is?" the jar of green goop yelled at the couple, "This is my home, isn't it?" Emily groaned and apologized to her friends, "Sorry. We've had a rough night and he just won't shut the fuck up." The liquefied captain scoffed. "Come on in." Emily invited them in and picked up the gooey remains of Kurotsuchi. They all sat down in the living. Heather stated with a chortle, "Man, I knew he got turned into gunk but I had no idea it was like this." "I know…" the blonde-haired woman laughed half-heartedly. Kyōraku commented, "He's that bad, huh?" "I'm right here!" Kurotsuchi announced angrily. Emily flicked the glass jar sitting beside her. The liquefied captain screamed, "Ah! Stop it!"

The brown-haired man asked casually, "He lost, I take it?" "I did not!" Kurotsuchi hollered. Emily responded nonchalantly, "He did." The captain snipped, "Did not!" "Did." the blonde-haired woman sighed. "He got away!" Kurotsuchi declared irately, "And that's that!" "Oh my god, Emily!" Heather cried out in excitement, "We should sharpie a face onto the jar!" "You will certainly not!" the captain ordered. The two women laughed hysterically. Kyōraku joined in on the laughter but dismissed the idea, "No, no…even Mayuri doesn't deserve that." Emily settled down before Heather and inquired, "So what're you two doing here anyway?" "Well, we were on our way to see Jūshirō and we remembered the scuffle with Uryū." Heather answered simply. The Captain of the Eighth Division added, "She really wanted to see what Mayuri looked like as a pile of goop." "That's not funny!" Kurotsuchi growled. The two women laughed together once more. "It's true!" the woman with the faded hair color chuckled. "Well, I don't blame you for being curious." Emily smiled warmly then went back to the subject at hand, "What did you need to see Jūshirō about?" "The secret weapon underneath his bed." Heather replied. "Oh, that." the blonde-haired woman somehow knew what her friend meant. "What?" Kyōraku looked at her to his companion, "How does she—" "You should know by now that they won't tell us anything." Kurotsuchi interrupted his fellow captain. "Oh, right…" the brown-haired man trailed off. Emily smirked and patted the jar beside her, "Aren't they such good boys?" "Yes, they are." Heather kissed Kyōraku on the cheek. "On that note, I think we ought to say our goodbyes, dear." the captain stated after returning the kiss. "Aw, already?" Emily asked, sounding more disappointed than she should have. "Yeah, we got a Sōkyoku to sabotage." "What?" both captains questioned simultaneously.


	34. Conspiracy

**Chapter 34:**

Conspiracy

"It's all your fault!" the captain yelled from within the large tub that contained the rest of his liquefied form. "What is?" Emily inquired with annoyance. Kurotsuchi retorted, "It's your fault that Quincy and the girl got away and that I'm like this!" Emily asked, not believing what she was hearing, "How is that my fault?" "You interfered!" the man with the incomplete body explained angrily, "If you just would've stayed out of the way—I would have a new research subject, that Quincy would be dead and I wouldn't be a stuck like this!" "That's it, I'm going!" the young woman threw up her hands and began to walk away. "What?" Kurotsuchi tried to pull himself up from the tub but failed, "Where do you think you're going?" She clarified to the man, "You're a jerk, so I'm outta' here. See you when you have a penis again." The captain hollered, "Ah! You little—" Emily was out of ear's reach before he could finish his sentence.

The young woman was wandering around once more trying to locate Heather. She was terrible with directions and was lost again. "Hey, Emily!" she heard a cheery voice call to her. She looked and saw Lieutenant Matsumoto waving at her delightfully. The woman was accompanied by her captain. "Hey, Rangiku." Emily smiled warmly, "Captain Hitsugaya." "Where's Captain Kurotsuchi?" Hitsugaya asked. "Oh, he's still trying to put himself back together after fighting one of the Ryoka." the blonde-haired woman explained to the two, "I couldn't stand him anymore so I went to go find Heather." Hitsugaya stated with a tone in voice, "You shouldn't be walking around without an officer accompanying you." "Oh…" Emily trailed off uneasily. Matsumoto jumped in at the perfect moment to save her friend, "Why doesn't she just come with us, Captain?" "Very well," the white-haired boy agreed, "I'll let you explain to Central Forty-Six about the Ryoka." Emily smiled nervously and went with them.

The three came to the entrance. Matsumoto stated, "There should be someone guarding the front gate but there's no one here." Hitsugaya remarked, "Yeah, it's odd." The captain and his lieutenant looked to Emily with a weary expression. The young woman twiddled her thumbs anxiously, "Well, you see, the thing about that is—" The captain stopped her in mid sentence, not wanting a lengthy explanation, "Never mind." He put his hand on the gate and it creaked open. They waked across the bridge to the little island in the middle of the water. Matsumoto observed, "The place is deserted." "Well someone's here because it's locked from the inside." Hitsugaya remarked before demanding aloud, "You must open this door immediately, it's a matter of utmost importance. My name is Captain Hitsugaya of Squad Ten!" A gate formed in front of the door. The lieutenant added, "Someone has activated the emergency defense lock." "Yes," the boy continued in puzzlement, "It gets stranger every minute. I wonder what's going on." They looked to Emily for reassurance but she shrugged. The captain gave her a disappointed look. Matsumoto asked her captain, "What're you going to do?"

"What do you think? Just stand back." Hitsugaya ordered. The eldest woman gasped, "You can't!" Her words fell on deaf ears as the captain drew his Zanpakutō and cut down the door. "Captain, you had just broken down the sealed door to Central Forty-Six! Are you insane?" Matsumoto gawked. "And the alarm hasn't gone off." Hitsugaya stated. The lieutenant did not understand, "Huh?" He explained, "Breaking down the door should have activated the alarm and what happened to the guards that are always standing here? Something is wrong. Someone must have killed them and dragged their corpses away. Then once they got inside they must've resealed the door and deactivated the alarm behind them." "Obviously they meant to keep things quiet." Matsumoto deduced. "Before we enter, is there something you'd like to tell us?" Hitsugaya asked Emily, giving her a look over his shoulder. She gave him a pleading look and sighed before looking away from the boy's gaze, "No…"

The trio traveled down the stairs and once they arrived, they all simultaneously let out a gasp. "What is this?" the captain was stunned, "What happened here?" The corpses of the Central Forty-Six were strewn about the entire room. The smell was awful. Emily had to cover her nose as they approached the scene. Hitsugaya reached out and touched some blood splatter, "This blood is completely dry, it's already blackened and even started to crack and flake. This obviously didn't happen yesterday or the day before that. The question is when. The last time Central Forty-Six operated normally was just before Renji was defeated. After that, Marshall Law was declared and the Central Underground Assembly hall was locked down completely. No one was allowed to enter or leave. The defense system was engaged, sealing all entrances and there was no sign of forced entry when we got here. That means they were killed before then. If that's the case, all the judgments and decisions that have come from Central Forty-Six since that time…have been fake."

"Captain Hitsugaya! I figured I'd find you here." a voice called out. "Izuru!" Hitsugaya saw the lieutenant nearby and questioned him, "Are you the one responsible for this?" Lieutenant Kira said nothing and simply walked away. "After him, Rangiku!" the captain ordered his lieutenant and then Emily before disappearing, "You! Notify someone quickly!" "What? Wait!" Emily called out but he was gone, "How am I supposed to do that?" She face palmed, not believing what she was getting into. It took her a moment to realize, however, that she was not alone. "Momo!" the young woman turned and saw Lieutenant Hinamori in the doorway. Hinamori was rambling to herself in fear and shock, "Wha—what is this? They're all dead. All of them." Emily approached her cautiously, "Momo…" "You!" the lieutenant's anger spiked, "Why didn't you tell anyone? First Captain Aizen and now these people! What's wrong with you?" "There's nothing wrong with me! I was told not to tell anyone anything! Don't you get it?" Emily snapped at the black-haired woman, losing her patience.

"Enough! I'm taking you into custody, you've caused enough trouble!" Hinamori reached for her Zanpakutō. "Now, now…don't you think we've had enough blood shed?" inquired a sickening voice. Emily rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Oh, great…" Captain Ichimaru was standing directly behind Hinamori who was frozen in fear. "Hello, Momo." he lowered his head down her level and whispered into her ear. "Captain Ichimaru?" the lieutenant was in disbelief. "Come with me, I have something to show you." the silver-haired man stepped away, wanting Hinamori to follow. She pursued him a few steps before he stopped, "Aren't you coming?" "No, no…I'm good…" Emily laughed nervously, trying to avoid going with Ichimaru. "With all these dead bodies?" he mocked with a smirk, "I can't guarantee your safety if you stay here." Hinamori gave the younger woman a dirty look. Emily grumbled and followed the two.


	35. Execution

**Chapter 35:**

Execution

Rukia Kuchiki was standing at the podium on Sōkyoku Hill before an audience of higher-ranking officers. The Head-Captain stood in front of her and declared, "And now let the execution begin." The officers were whispering among themselves. Captain Soifon commented, "Not much of a turn out. Only the second, fourth, and eighth divisions showed up. What are the fifth, eleventh, twelfth and the others thinking?" At that moment, Captain Kuchiki arrived. The prisoner stuttered at the sight of him, "B—Byakuya." The captain simply turned away. The black-haired woman lowered her head in dismay. Captain Yamamoto reclaimed her attention, "Rukia Kuchiki, have you any last words?" "Yes." she answered, "Just one thing…"

"Very well." the Head-Captain announced, "In keeping with your wishes, after the execution, we will allow the Ryoka to leave unharmed." The young woman replied, "Thank you." In crowd, Lieutenant Kotetsu muttered under her breath, "How cruel. He doesn't intend to let them live." Captain Unohana had heard the remark and addressed her subordinate, "He wasn't being cruel, Isane. He was being compassionate. At least she'll die with some peace of mind. At least she won't worry." Yamamoto ordered, "Let the Sōkyoku fall." As the words had left the captain's lips, the ropes holding the Sōkyoku in place were released. The three blocks shifted on the podium where the prisoner stood. Her bondage fell and the blocks levitated to her wrists and ankles in a crucifixion-like pose. The blocks caused her to rise up to the wooden alter. Captain Kyōraku whispered to his lieutenant, "Nanao, don't look so sad. You're making me feel bad." "It's not sadness." Lieutenant Ise replied. At that moment, the Sōkyoku burst into flames and lifted itself off the ground. "Wha—what's going on?" Lieutenant Ōmeda cried out. Soifon added in surprise, "The halberd is in flames! It's changing shape!" Kyōraku lifted his hat to get a better view of the spectacle, "This is unexpected." The Sōkyoku transformed into a giant firebird. "Kikō Oh." the Head-Captain stated, "The halberd has assumed its true form. It will impale the condemned, thereby ending the execution." Instantly, the firebird charged at the black-haired woman but then was immediately stopped by Ichigo Kurosaki's blade.

All the captains were gawking in shock. Heather looked unmoved by the sight and grumbled inaudibly. Soifon exclaimed, "That's impossible! How could he stop the destructive power of one million Zanpakutō using a single Zanpakutō? But who…who is he?" Kyōraku commented, "Heather, you've got some explaining to do." "Yeah, that's Ichigo Kurosaki alright." the woman with the faded hair color replied carelessly, "Main objective: save Rukia Kuchiki." "I see. So in the end, the Ryoka saves the day." the brown-haired man responded smugly. The firebird let out a shriek and backed away. It charged once more, however, a giant rope wrapped around its neck. "What is that?" Ōmeda inquired. Kotetsu yelled, "Captain Ukitake! Kiyone!" The end of the rope had a pole and it fell to the ground where Kyōraku plunged it deeper. He lifted his hat to glance at his lifelong friend and asked, "Hey there, handsome. What took you so long?" Kotetsu yelled again, "Captain Kyōraku!" Captain Ukitake replied confidently to Kyōraku, "Sorry. I had trouble releasing it. But now I'm ready!" He then slammed the shield into the ground. Instantly, Soifon recognized the crest on the shield and yelled to her lieutenant, "Stop them!" Ōmeda answered dumbly, "Huh? You mean me?" "They're going to destroy the Sōkyoku!" she announced urgently. Kyōraku and Ukitake placed their Zanpakutō into the shield and the spirit energy traveled up to the firebird, obliterating it.


	36. Betrayal

**Chapter 36:**

Betrayal

The captain led the two women through the Seijōtōkyorin where the members of Central Forty-Six resided. "Why have you brought us here, Captain Ichimaru?" Hinamori asked. "Why don't you ask your all knowing friend?" Ichimaru smirked evilly. "We're not friends!" the lieutenant declared. "What she said." Emily added. "Pity," the captain remarked, "There's someone I want you both to meet. But I'm afraid only one of you shall be surprised." The blonde-haired woman looked more than displeased. She knew exactly what was to happen. Hinamori, however, gave her superior a look of puzzlement. "Go on, look behind you." Ichimaru invited. "Behind…me?" the lieutenant squeaked before turning to look. Emily had not bothered, she knew who it was. The shorter woman stuttered, "Ca—captain Ai—zen?"

"How have you been, Momo?" the supposed dead captain inquired kindly. "Is it…really you, Captain Aizen?" Hinamori asked and went on, "I thought you were dead." Emily grumbled and was about to turn around to end the reunion when Ichimaru restrained her and covered her mouth. "I'm alive, as you can see." Aizen stated comfortingly. The young woman struggled against the captain to no avail. Hinamori was still transfixed, "Ca—captain Aizen…Captain Aizen…I—I—" The lieutenant grabbed Aizen's haori as their eyes locked. "I'm sorry." the brown-haired man apologized, "You must've been heartbroken." Hinamori embraced Aizen and began to sob uncontrollably. He returned the embrace, "You've lost weight, poor child. I'm so sorry. I had no idea I'd hurt you so badly. But I want you to know, it had to be you. There's something I must do and I had to stay hidden to do it. That's why I faked my death and had you—" The black-haired woman cut him off, her tears dissipating, "It's alright. It's alright. Just knowing that you're alive is enough for me." Emily managed to bite Ichimaru's hand. The captain cried out and removed his hand, "Ow! That hurt!" Still in a daze, Hinamori heard none of the commotion. "Thank you, Momo." Aizen spoke sincerely, "Our time together was a joy to me. Thank you, Momo. Thank you very much—" The blonde-haired woman yelled, "Momo, no!" "—Goodbye." as the words left the captain's mouth, he stabbed the lieutenant in the chest.

Aizen released his hold on Hinamori and she fell to the ground. Ichimaru finally released Emily and she ran to the fallen officer's side. The two captains watched as the young woman tried to help her comrade. Emily rolled the lieutenant onto her back, getting blood on most of her own clothes. She panicked but paused, only to look up at Aizen and give him the dirtiest look. "It's pointless, you know." the captain remarked. "Fuck you!" Emily spat at the man in rage. "My, my, making such a fuss." Ichimaru smirked. Aizen added, "You're more troublesome than I thought." "Good!" the blonde-haired woman hollered as she stood up, "I'm glad I'm a pain in your ass!" The man with the glasses gave the other captain a look. "Oh, right." Ichimaru quickly restrained Emily once more. "Let go of me, you son of a—" she fought but before she could finish her curse she was gagged. "Much better. Let's go, Gin." Aizen commented before turning to leave. Emily was forced along, she gave Hinamori one last look before she was out of sight.

The captains led their captive into another part of the building. They stopped, however, when Hitsugaya appeared. "Gin," the white-haired captain gasped, "and—" Aizen greeted his fellow captain in a friendly manner, "Hello, Tōshirō." Hitsugaya gawked, "What? Aizen? But how? It's really you…" "Of course. In the flesh, as you can see. But never mind." the brown-haired captain turned to Ichimaru, "Captain Hitsugaya is back sooner than expected." "I'm sorry," Ichimaru replied, "Izuru must've failed." The young boy interjected, "What? What are you talking about?" "Haven't you guessed? Tactics of course. Divide and conquer—the most basic way of weakening an enemy." Aizen explained. Hitsugaya affirmed, "'Enemy'? But…where's Momo?" Emily yelled through her gag and motioned behind her and the two men. "That's enough." Ichimaru tightened his grip on her. The white-haired captain somehow understood and used Shunpo to appear behind them. He stood over Hinamori's body.

Hitsugaya stammered, "Mo—mo…Oh, Momo…" "How unfortunate." Aizen tutted, "You found her. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to find out like this. I should've chopped her up and hidden the pieces." Emily's eyes bugged out and a muffled curse could be heard from under the gag. The two captors looked at her in question. "Aizen…Gin…why?" the white-haired boy broke the silence, "How long have you two been conspiring?" "From the beginning." Aizen replied smugly. Hitsugaya inquired somberly, "Since before you faked your death, Aizen?" "You catch on slowly. From the beginning." the man with the glasses spoke to his fellow captain in a belittling way, "Since I became a captain. I never considered anyone to be my lieutenant but Gin." The shorter captain responded softly but his sentence ended in a shout as he looked over his shoulder, "Then this whole time you were…Momo…me…the other Soul Reapers under you…you were deceiving us all!" Aizen explained, "I never thought of it that way. The truth is none of you recognized my true identity." "You blame us?" Hitsugaya turned around as his anger began to grow, "How could you be so cruel? You knew Momo joined the Court Guard because of you. She worked so hard just so she could serve at your side." "Yes, that's true." Aizen stated, "Which made her quite easy to manipulate. That's why I requested her for my squad." "What?" Hitsugaya looked at the man in disbelief. The captain went on, "It was too good to pass up. Remember, Tōshirō, adoration is the state furthest from understanding." In a fit of rage, the white-haired boy drew his Zanpakutō and released a massive amount of spiritual energy.


	37. Tools

**Chapter 37:**

Tools

Heather looked at the panicked lieutenant and realized where they were. "We're back at square one." she stated in an eerily calm tone. "How?" Lieutenant Abarai questioned in surprise. "Welcome, Abarai." a voice greeted out to the red-haired man. The lieutenant looked over his shoulder to find Captains Aizen and Ichimaru holding a bound and gagged Emily. The brown-haired man ordered, "Leave Rukia Kuchiki here and go." Abarai stood and fully turned around to face the man he thought as dead. "Captain Aizen?!" the lieutenant gawked. Captain Tōsen wasted no time in taking hold of Heather. She struggled against her captor but did not cause much of an effect. "What's going on?!" Abarai inquired hastily, "What are you doing to Heather and Emily?!" Aizen replied simply, "Just gathering some tools. Now do as I said and leave Rukia here and go, Abarai." "No!" the lieutenant answered. The captain smirked mockingly, "What?" "I said no, Captain Aizen." Abarai repeated himself. "I see." Aizen responded matter-of-factly. Suddenly, Ichimaru attempted to unsheathe his Zanpakutō but was stopped by his leader. "Wait, Gin." Aizen paused and continued on to the lieutenant, "You're stubborn, Abarai. If you won't give me Rukia, then I'm afraid I can't help you. But I'll let you have your way. Rukia may remain in your arms. But the rest of you has to go." The captain drew his weapon and slashed Abarai's arm. "Ren—Renji!" the female Kuchiki cried out.

"Hmm. Your defensive skills have improved, Abarai." Aizen belittled the lieutenant, "You've grown, that pleases me. But you've chosen a bad time to be persistent. It's difficult to step on ants without crushing them. As your former captain, I'd hate to see you die." The black-haired woman cried once more, "Renji!" "Shut up, Rukia!" Abarai demanded, paused for a breath, and then questioned the captain, "You'd hate to see me die?! Then why did you kill Momo?" Aizen began an elaborate explanation, "Oh. So that disruption of spiritual pressure earlier was Tenteikūro. It must've of been Isane. Momo's death was unavoidable. She couldn't live without me. And she had served her purpose. I killed her out of compassion, don't you see? But it was never my desire to kill her myself. That's why I tried to get Izuru and Tōshirō to do the job for me. But that didn't work out. So, grudgingly, I put her down myself." "Is that so? Izuru, Momo, you had them both in the palm of your hand…" the lieutenant trailed off. "And you, Abarai." the captain added causally. "Now I see. You're not the Captain Aizen I knew anymore. I don't know what your game is, but you're definitely not getting Rukia now!" the red-haired man exclaimed angrily. Aizen replied jeeringly, "I was never the Captain Aizen you knew. Sadly, he was an illusion, Abarai. The Sōsuke Aizen you knew…never existed."

The lieutenant instantly jumped into the air and yelled, "Howl, Zabimaru!" "Shikai, eh? Is that the best you can do with your wounded arm?" Aizen teased and blocked the attack with his own Zanpakutō, "You must know that won't buy you any time at all." Abarai landed on the ground and attacked again, "No, I don't know that!" The brown-haired man smiled. "Petulant as ever." he grabbed the lieutenant's weapon, causing it to tangle, "Out of the three, you were the most trouble, Abarai." Aizen raised his blade and cut through his opponent's Zanpakutō. "The first time," the captain paused only to attack, "I met you three, I felt sure I could use you. That's why I had you assigned to the Fifth Division when you joined the Court Guard. I made the two useful ones subordinates of Gin and myself, and sent you, the problem child, to another division. It seems my instinct was correct. For the last time, leave Rukia Kuchiki and go." The woman pleaded, "Please, Captain Aizen, I'll—" "No." Abarai interrupted her. "Renji!" she yelled. "I told you to shut up, Rukia. I'm not letting go of you." the lieutenant hollered then turned to Aizen, "I'm not leaving her. You bastard!"

"I see. That's unfortunate." the captain spoke sarcastically and took another swing at the red-haired man. However, Ichigo Kurosaki's Zanpakutō blocks his blade. "Hey. What're you kneeling for? Is Rukia that heavy?" Kurosaki mocked, "I thought I'd give you a hand, Renji." "Ichigo…" Abarai spoke but was lost for words. The boy questioned, "Yeah?" "I'm sorry you had to come to our aid." the lieutenant apologized. "What?!" Kurosaki asked dumbly but went on to explain, "Well, you looked pretty pooped from just carrying Rukia around. Was running away too much for you, Renji?" Before the lieutenant could retort, Heather yelled, "Will you just shut up?! Aizen's right here and—" The young woman was cut off by Tōsen's hand covering her mouth. They all looked to the blind captain. "Sorry." he apologized to his leader. Emily's laughter could be heard through her gag and Gin attempted to hide his smirk. Aizen almost rolled his eyes at the antics. The orange-haired boy almost turned red in embarrassment. He actually turned his attention back on to the subject at hand, "It that Aizen?" "Yes." Abarai answered. Kurosaki continued to inquire, "And he has hostages?" "They're friends of mine." the lieutenant tried to keep it short.

"Can you run, Renji?" the false Soul Reaper asked. "I can but I won't." Abarai declared. Kurosaki argued, "Now look—" "I have a plan. Zabimaru may be broken but he still has a few surprises left in him." the red-haired man explained, "I'm going to fight. You know as well as I do, that there's no point in running away. I'm not saying we can beat them, but maybe we can stun them and walk out of here with some pride." Emily was yelling through her gag but Heather had given up and was just shaking her head. The two young men were too caught up in the moment to pay any attention. Kurosaki stated, "Heh, okay. Then I guess we're a team!" Abarai went on to give details of the plan to the boy openly. Emily and Heather glance at each other knowingly. Simultaneously, the lieutenant slammed the remains of his Zanpakutō into the ground. He inquired, "Are you ready, Zabimaru? Higa Zekkō!" At that moment, all the shards of the shattered Zanpakutō rose and charged at Aizen. Kurosaki went in for an attack on the captain, however, was stopped by a mere index finger. The brown-haired man took hold of the boy's weapon and sliced through him while he was still in mid air.


	38. Time

**Chapter 38:**

Time

"Amazing. Something so small." Aizen continued to admire the device in his hand, "So this is the Hōgyoku." The hole is Rukia Kuchiki's chest shrank and disappeared. "Hmm…the konpaku itself is undamaged. Amazing technology. Unfortunately, you are no longer needed." the captain lifted the woman by her collar and ordered his cohort, "Kill her, Gin." Ichimaru took a step forward, continued to restrain Emily, and released his Shikai, "Alright. Shoot to Kill, Shinzō." Instantaneously, the Zanpakutō's blade launched itself in the female Kuchiki's direction. However, Captain Kuchiki made a sudden appearance. Using Shunpo, he stole the woman from Aizen and took the hit from Ichimaru's weapon. "Bya—Kuya!" she stammered as the blade retracted. Kuchiki fell to his knees and his sister attempted to support him. She cried, "Byakuya! Byakuya, why? Why did you?! Why? Byakuya…Byakuya…Byakuya!" Aizen smiled evilly at the two. As he reached for his Zanpakutō, Captain Soifon and Yoruichi Shihōin appeared. Soifon had her Zanpakutō's blade dangerously close to his throat while Shihōin prevented the man from unsheathing his weapon.

"It's over." Soifon stated. Aizen asked as if he had not heard, "What?" "Can't you see?" Shihōin retorted, "You're surrounded." At that moment, the captain saw several of the Gotei Thirteen around him and his cohorts. As soon as Heather caught sight of Captain Kyōraku, she struggled against her captor. Tōsen attempted to tighten his grip but it only caused her to squirm even more so. The young woman's eyes widened as an idea popped into her head. Without haste, Heather allowed her knees to give way and she fell forward in dead weight, bringing Tōsen down with her. The captain attempted to hold onto the woman but she whipped her head back into his face. He cried out in pain as blood gushed from his nose. This gave her the perfect opportunity to escape. Heather ran into Kyōraku's welcoming embrace. Also taking the opportunity to his advantage, Lieutenant Hisagi used Shunpo to sneak up on Tōsen. He drew his Zanpakutō before the captain even realized Heather had gotten away. Emily watched as her friend apprehended his captain and thought that Lieutenant Matsumoto would come to her aid. On cue, the golden-haired woman appeared. However, Ichimaru turned quickly and used Emily as a human shield. Matsumoto backed away, sword still in hand.

Aizen simply smirked. "What is it?" Shihōin inquired with annoyance in her voice, "What's so funny, Aizen?" Still smiling, the brown-haired man answered, "Oh, I'm sorry. It's time." The woman instincts kicked in and she yelled, "Soifon, get back!" The duo withdrew from their positions as a yellow beam of light enveloped Aizen. "Wh—what the devil?!" Captain Ukitake asked aloud at the sight of the sky cracking open. "Menos Grande!" Soifon stated as the hollows poured from the split in the heavens. "Gillians! How many of them are there?!" Lieutenant Ōmeda gawked, "No…there's something behind them!"

Hisagi jumped away as another beam of light shot down from the sky, this time onto Tōsen. Simultaneously, a third ray enveloped Ichimaru and his hostage. "Emily!" Heather screamed as she darted toward her endangered friend. Kyōraku pulled his companion back, stopping her from getting too close to the light. Ichimaru turned his head to look over his should at Matsumoto, "Goodbye, Rangiku. I'm sorry." Suddenly, the ground beneath Aizen and the other three began to break apart and rise. "He's rising?!" questioned Ōmeda at the spectacle. "You can't escape!" Lieutenant Iba yelled as he readied himself to attack. Captain Yamamoto called out, "Stop!" Iba responded, "Head-Captain!" "The light is called 'negacion'. The Menos use it to rescue each other. The moment that light envelops something, it's all over. They're in another world now. There's nothing we can do. Anybody who's fought the Menos knows that the moment that light came down…Aizen was beyond our reach." "What about Emily?!" Heather pleaded, "There's nothing we can do to save her?!"

"Tōsen!" Komamura rose from his fallen state and yelled, "Come down, Tōsen! Why?! Why did you become a Soul Reaper?! Wasn't it for your dead friend?! Wasn't it to uphold justice?! Where has your sense of justice gone?!" Tōsen replied eerily, "I told you, Komamura…I follow the path least soaked in blood. Justice is always there. The path I walk is justice." Komamura cried out, "Tōsen!" "You joined forces with the Menos." Ukitake stated and then asked, "Why?" Aizen simply responded, "To seek greater heights." "Have you fallen to Earth, Aizen?!" the white-haired man inquired, completely shocked. "Don't kid yourself, Ukitake." Aizen continued, crushing his glasses and slicking back his hair, "No one ever stood atop the heavens before. Not you, or I, or the gods. But the unbearable vacancy of Heaven's throne ends now. From now on, I will stand atop the heavens. Goodbye, Soul Reapers. Goodbye, Ryoka boy. You were interesting…for a human." The four were lifted up and swallowed by the sky.**  
**


	39. Lab Rat: Part II

**Chapter 39:**

Lab Rat

(Part II)

Emily continued to fight against Ichimaru, even after they had left the Soul Society. To the young woman's surprise, the captain removed her gag. Emily's adrenaline rushed throughout her body and, miraculously, she managed to get away. The three men stood before her. She backed away and cursed them, "You bastards!" "Language." Tōsen snipped. "You really didn't think we let you get away knowing all that you knew about us, did you?" Aizen chuckled wickedly. Emily continued to back away and she bumped into something. It was two large creatures. Before the blonde-haired woman could get a good look at them, they grabbed her by her feet and arms and tossed her back and forth like a rag doll. She screamed out in horror realizing who they were and where her fate lied. It was Lumina and Verona, Szayel Aporro Granz's Fracción.

The three men laughed almost hysterically. "Careful, you idiots! You'll tear her in two!" hollered a voice that Emily unfortunately recognized immediately. She continued to scream as the Arrancars played with her like a toy when she saw the pink-haired Espada approach with a large needle. The woman had never imagined the day where she would wish Kurotsuchi was coming to inject her with a giant syringe. "Don't worry; this will only hurt for a few moments." Szayel smiled evilly. Before Emily could try to thrash and squirm away, the needle had already penetrated her neck. She let out a blood-curdling scream and then blacked-out.

She did not dream, it was just blackness. Emily heard something that sounded like hospital machinery. Her eyes opened to reveal a large bright light. She closed them tightly and proceeded to open them slowly to adjust. The only part of her body she could move was her eyes and mouth. She surveyed her environment. The woman saw lots of machines, tubes, and wires everywhere. Emily realized she was propped up and bound against a surgical table. Her eyes widened in horror at the amazing site of her internal organs strewn about on a table in front of her.

Emily began to panic and hyperventilate. Suddenly the machines around her started to make alerting sounds. A voice snapped at her, "Stop it! Your organs will give out!" It was Szayel. He appeared next to her, checking all the machinery and equipment. "Where am I?!" Emily cried, "What did you do to me?!" "You're in my lab," the man scoffed as if it were obvious and continued, "I'm investigating your body for previous experiments." The woman demanded, "Put me back!" the man tutted, "Now, now, why don't I give you something to calm your nerves?" "No stay away from me!" Emily bellowed. Szayel pulled an already prepped syringe from his uniform. Emily tried to force her body to move but failed. Szayel approached her at a dramatically slow pace. She continued to scream as the needle pierced her neck once more.**  
**


	40. Gone, Baby, Gone

**Chapter 40:**

Gone, Baby, Gone

Emily was gone without a trace. Heather knew where her friend was but had no idea what was to happen to her. Everything has gone according to plan except for this. The woman with faded hair color simply stared at the sky, hoping somehow her friend would return. "Heather? Hello? Are you alright?" Kyōraku asked his companion because she was the only one left staring at the sky. Everyone else had moved on. "Why…" she muttered back without removing her gaze. "I don't know." the captain replied kindly, "But you can't keep staring. There's nothing you can do right now." She looked to him finally, tears welling up in her eyes. For once, she was actually afraid. She ran to Kyōraku in an embrace. He held her close and attempted to comfort her. "Is she going to be alright?" Ukitake inquired, approaching the couple. Heather mumbled into Kyōraku's uniform, "No." "Apparently not, Jūshirō." the brown-haired captain added. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Heather." Ukitake spoke somberly. "She's not dead!" the young woman croaked, "I hope!" She nearly began to sob.

"It'll be okay, please don't cry, sweetheart." Kyōraku pleaded as he wiped the tears that fell down her face. Heather sniffled, "I'm really trying but…oh, God." "What is it?" the captain questioned. "What's wrong now?" Ukitake asked in concern. Heather was wide eyed and she looked at the two men, almost fearfully. "Who's gonna' tell Mayuri?" she asked no one in particular. The two men were silent. They looked to one another, their faces pale. "Well, I have…things to attend to. Good day!" Ukitake added before nearly running away. The young woman furrowed her brow and closed her eyes tightly, "Of all the times to be big hearted and understanding, he fails me now." "Well, Heather, you have to understand how…Mayuri…is." Kyōraku tried to explain his friend's actions. "Well, guess what?" Heather prodded surprisingly playfully for some who just watched her friend get taken away. "You're gonna' make me go with you to see Mayuri?" he asked almost monotone, furrowing his brow also. "Yep." she replied. "Of all times to be big hearted and understanding, he fails me now!" the captain groaned, rubbing his eyes.

The door to Kurotsuchi's home opened to reveal his lieutenant. "Captain Kyōraku…Heather…what a pleasant surprise." the black-haired woman greeted in monotone but as cheerfully as she possibly could. "I don't know whether you're trying to get us to leave or you're genuinely being nice but we need to talk to Mayuri, right now." Heather declared. Nemu inquired, "What seems to be the issue?" "He's being impossible, isn't he?" Kyōraku deduced. The lieutenant responded, "Yes." The brown-haired man cleared his throat and demanded seriously, "I need you to tell your captain that Emily has been kidnapped by Aizen and it is of the utmost importance that we speak to him immediately." "Come in." Nemu nodded her head in understanding and invited the couple inside. Heather and Kyōraku looked at each other but entered the home anyways. "Please, sit." the black-haired woman offered and spoke once more, "I will tell my captain the news." They watched as Nemu left. After a few moments, all the two could hear was Kurotsuchi's part of the conversation, "Kyōraku and Heather? What do they want? What? What do you mean Emily's been kidnapped? By who? Aizen?!" Suddenly a barrage of curses erupted from the captain. Once again, the sitting couple could only hear swearing, stomping, a door slamming open, and more stomping. Before the two could register what was about to happen, Kurotsuchi appeared in front of them naked. Heather's first instinct was to grab Kyōraku's hat and shield her eyes with it. The brown-haired man's eyes became like saucers and he could not look away from the ungodly sight. It was like an automobile accident, he could not stand to watch but he simply could not look away.

"What the fuck happened and where the hell is my girlfriend?!" Kurotsuchi hollered. Kyōraku pleaded with the nude man, "Mayuri…Please…Please put on clothes." "I will not do anything until I know exactly why my incompetent colleagues didn't save my poor Emily!" the captain stated. "For the love of all things bright, beautiful, and make sense in the world, put on some pants—or a towel—or—or—something!" Heather begged insistently. "Oh, you idiots!" Kurotsuchi scoffed. Nemu suddenly appeared with a towel. He snatched it out of her hands, "Give me that!" Kyōraku sighed with relief and finally was able to blink. "Is it safe?" Heather asked. The brown-haired man replied, "Yes…yes, it is." She lowered the hat slowly and peaked over it. "Oh, will you two just stop?!" Kurotsuchi snarled.

"I'm scarred for life, what more do you want?!" Heather questioned fearfully. The captain hollered, "Answers!" She muttered sheepishly, "Oh, right." Kyōraku got a hold of himself and explained, "Well, like I had told Nemu…Aizen kidnapped Emily…and, uh, that's the story?" "Are you fucking kidding me?" Kurotsuchi inquired in a dangerously low tone. He looked to Heather who was playing with Kyōraku's hat. The woman started softly, avoiding eye contact, "This is awkward…you've sworn more in the last couple minutes than me and Emily have in our entire four years of high school." The enraged captain took a deep breath and replied slowly, "That's all…you have to say…" "For my defense," Heather responded with more courage, "I got out because Tōsen can't see a trap coming…and do you happen to have any aspirin?" Kurotsuchi sighed angrily, "No…I do not and I'm not even going to ask what that has to do with anything….did you know this would happen?"

The irate man took a step forward causing both Heather and Kyōraku to inch back into their seats. "What would…happen?" she asked timidly. The captain took another step closer and continued to fume, "Did you know…that Aizen would kidnap Emily?" "I didn't even know I was gonna' be in this world let alone what Aizen and his flunkies would do to us." the young woman answered then added thoughtfully, "I am concerned though." "About?" Kurotsuchi inquired whilst clenching his fists. "Well…" Heather trailed off. The captain offered irritably, "Go on…" "Well there's this pink-haired mad man that has the same hobby as you and…yeah." the woman with the faded hair color clarified. Kurotsuchi began to twitch in anger as he responded, "Are you telling me…that there…is some…freak…experimenting …on my Emily?" Heather squeaked, "Maybe?" The Captain of the Twelfth Division screamed bloody murder and it could be heard throughout the Seireitei.


	41. Truth: Part II

**Chapter 41:**

Truth

(Part II)

She had been under Szayel's care for one week. He mostly kept Emily in a glass room where he could observe her on a daily basis and subject her to certain levels of torture. Her scars had multiplied and her head was shaven. She typically sat in the left corner of the room in a pseudo-fetal position, trembling and mumbling to herself incoherently. In a blink of an eye, the tint of the glass surrounding her had changed and she could see outside. Emily nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of the entire Espada army. She screamed out in fear and most of the Arrancars laughed. "What's going on?!" the woman cried as she crawled to the part of the room that was closest to Szayel. She was starting to experience Stockholm syndrome.

"What a worm!" Nnoitra laughed mockingly, "What use could it be?!" A few of the other Espada joined in with a chuckle or two. Yammy added, "He's right, it looks pathetic." "How is it going to help us win the war?" Baraggan retorted spitefully. Emily begged her master, "Please make them stop!" Szayel opened a little part of the glass and handed her a pill, "Take this." The woman was hesitant but she took pill. "Now tell Lord Aizen how he will win the war against the Soul Reapers." the Octava spoke proudly of his lord. "He won't." Emily squeaked. Szayel laughed softly with surprise. Aizen inquired, "Come again?" The Espada around them started to whisper to each other. "The Hōgyoku rejects him." Emily stated simply. "You're dismissed, all of you." Aizen spoke almost frantically to his army. Without question, they left, except for Szayel who stood by his side. "When we talked about this meeting earlier, I told you to tell the truth!" the remaining Espada snapped at Emily who cringed in fear. "I did, I swear!" she whimpered.

Szayel looked to his lord whom did not look amused. He turned back to his victim, "Tell Lord Aizen how he can prevent the Hōgyoku from…rejecting him." Emily was on her knees looking up at the two men. A dark look over came her eyes and she grinned madly, "You won't win, you son of a bitch." Taken aback from her response they looked at her wide-eyed, mouth agape. "The Espada will die." Emily went on maliciously, giving them a deranged look, "And you…Lord Aizen…will wrinkle with age until the end of time and rot in a box!—Just like this one!" She laughed wickedly. Aizen wore an expression of hatred for the woman but said nothing. He turned to Szayel and gave him the dirtiest look imaginable before leaving. Emily's laugh echoed throughout Las Noches. Szayel grimaced at her before the glass changed and the lights completely went out. The woman stopped her laughter and began screaming hysterically. The darkness caused her so much agony, it was pure torture.


	42. No Fun Without You

**Chapter 42:**

No Fun Without You

A week had passed since Aizen and the other traitors kidnapped Emily. Heather did not know what to do with herself. They were best friends and had been through everything together. She felt like she had lost a part of herself. Heather was not even sure if she was ever going to see Emily again. It pained her terribly. She moped around with little to no comfort from her friends. To top it all off, Captain Kyōraku was busy most of the time because of the oncoming war.

Heather found herself wandering around the Seireitei somewhere near the Tenth Division barracks. She figured she would see what Lieutenant Matsumoto was up to. Suddenly, there was a crash from a room she had just passed. The woman's curiosity got the best of her and she peaked in. "Gin, you pig!" hollered a voice. Heather chuckled to herself, "Yep, this seems to be the right place." Matsumoto continued to yell, "With your squinty, little eyes!" "Yeah! Yeah! I hope he dies!" Kira joined in. Hitsugaya stood up and walked to the doorway where Heather was standing. Heather commented, "This is definitely the right room." "Not you too." the captain retorted. "Aw! Captain, you're no fun! Come on in, Heather!" Matsumoto pouted at Hitsugaya but warmly greeted the younger woman. "Matsumoto! Matsumoto!" Izuru cheered, "I'm going to drink until I puke!" Heather joined them, "Talking about Gin I see?" "Yeah, I hate him. He's an ass." the lieutenant replied, taking a swig before asking her friend, "Wanna' drink with us? It might make you feel better. I did notice you've been acting strange lately…since…well, you know…" In response, Heather hesitantly reached for the bottle in Matsumoto's hand.

An hour had passed since the woman with the faded hair color began to drink. "Hey, Shūhei!" Matsumoto called out of the room's window, "Have a drink with us!" Stumbling, Heather jumped up, ran to the window, and saw Captain Komamura and Lieutenant Hisagi. She slurred, "Hey, you big guy and little guy…c'mere!" The captain laughed halfheartedly and just smiled at her. "Huh?" Hisagi replied, "Yeah, that sounds good, Rangiku. But…uh, is Heather okay?" Matsumoto claimed, "Yeah, she's fine and dandy! Back to her old self!" Heather began to lean out window. Seeing this, the golden-haired woman saved her from falling. "Oh, thank you!" she thanked the lieutenant as she fell backwards onto the floor, "I almost died!" Heather had fallen onto her back and in the process, she had almost knocked herself out.

Hisagi made his way to the room and gawked, "Whoa?! What happened to you, Izuru?! You're smashed!" Matsumoto did not pay attention to anyone inside of the room. She continued to look for people to join the fun. She yelled out the window to two passersby, "Hey, Ichigo! Orihime! What about you guys?! I've got some good sake!" Ichigo responded, "Maybe later." Orihime added giddily, "We're underage!" Heather yelled from her spot on the floor, trying desperately to get up, "Kukaku!" "What?" Orihime asked. "Rukia be there, now, yes?" the woman slurred question as she made it back to the windowsill. "Oh, okay. Thanks, Heather!" Orihime smiled and waved. "I've got some good tea, too." Matsumoto whined, "They're no fun." Suddenly, Hisagi yelled at Kira, "Why are you only wearing a loin clothe?!" The two women continued to ignore the men in the room. "I'm sorry, fella'." Heather attempted to pat her friend on the back but ended up striking her. "Hey," called a voice, "You guys look like you're having fun." The youngest woman nearly jumped for joy when she saw it was Kyōraku. He asked happily, "Can I join?" "Woo!" Heather cheered obnoxiously, "Threesome!"

Matsumoto laughed hysterically causing the captain to turn a shade of red. "Wow," Kyōraku whispered, "I'm…I'm gonna'—I think I need a cold shower…" "Wait! I'm coming with!" the drunk woman tried to jump out of the window. The lieutenant grabbed her by the collar, saving her yet again. "No! Heather, stay! Nanao is looking for him! He has important stuff he got to do!" Matsumoto started to slur as well. Heather groaned miserably and waved goodbye to the captain who waved back before leaving anxiously.


	43. Secret Admirer

**Chapter 43:**

Secret Admirer

Alone in her glass box, Emily was awoken by the lights switching on. It was strange because it was not feeding or experimentation time. She squinted at the lights and her vision had cleared. It was one of the Espada, Nnoitra Gilga. He stood there menacingly outside of the box, just staring at her. Emily had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She looked around nervously for Szayel but he was not there. "Aren't you gonna' say, 'Hello'?" the Espada nearly growled at her. "Uh, sure." the woman squeaked, "Hi…there…Nnoitra…" He said coolly, "Call me whatever you like." "Uh…Okay…" Emily trailed off in utter confusion.

Somehow, he had opened the glass box and entered. Emily started to panic and tremble. She tried to get as far away from him as possible but she was already in a corner. He walked slowly to her and, oddly, he cooed to her. She did not know what to do. Nnoitra was standing over her and immediately she curled up into a ball. The tall man blocked the light from above. When the light appeared again, she looked and saw the Espada kneeling before front of her. He had something in his hands. "It's okay, don't be afraid." Nnoitra stated with a wide grin, "I only wanted to give this to you." Emily looked to him and back at what he held then back and forth. It was a little box. "What…What is it?" she asked nervously. He stated kindly and suggested, "It's food, take it." "I, uh…Um…Thank you?" Emily spoke with uncertainty. She took the box from him and placed it in between them. She stared at it. "It's okay to eat. It's for you." Nnoitra smiled eagerly, wanting her to try the food he had made especially for her. The woman started with concern, "B-But…Szayel—" "Don't worry about Szayel. It's okay." the Quinto Espada assured.

Emily began to cry because she was scared and confused. Feeling some sort of pity, Nnoitra cradled her face with his large hand. As the man did this, she started to freak out. "Shh, shh." the Espada cooed gently, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Emily stuttered in fear, "W-What are you d-doing? I don't u-understand." Nnoitra was about to say something but suddenly, he stopped. He looked around nervously and quickly kissed Emily on the forehead before leaving without another word. The woman was frozen in shock at the Espada's actions. The lights abruptly went off then turned back on. Emily looked up and saw it was Szayel. "Alright, my pet, it's time for the next battery of—" he paused at the sight of her in the strange position, "What are you doing?"

Instantly, the food in front of her caught the pink-haired man's attention. "What…is that?" Szayel almost growled at Emily. She immediately curled into ball as he opened the glass box and stomped over to his victim. Towering over her, he hollered, "What did you do?! Where did you get this?! Did I ever tell you could leave without me?! How did you get out?!" As he bombarded her with questions, Emily cried and attempted to plead for his forgiveness. The Espada leaned over and snatched the small container of food. He snapped angrily, "For your insolence, I'm taking this! We're starting your tests first thing tomorrow, all day long! And, I'm leaving you here for the rest of the night to think about what you've done!"


	44. High School: Again

**Chapter 44:**

High School

(Again)

The group walked down the hallway of Karakura high school. "Which classroom is it?" inquired Captain Hitsugaya with annoyance. "I don't know." Lieutenant Matsumoto nonchalantly answered. "What?!" the white-haired boy yelled, "I thought you wrote it down!" "For the love of God, guys, it's class 1-3!" Heather snapped. "It's my first time in one of these things!" Lieutenant Abarai complained and trailed off, "It's hard to control my spiritual pressure because…" Rangiku mocked her friend, "You suck?" "I don't suck!" Renji retorted, "Anyway, why are you so calm?!"

Ikkaku tugged at his shirt, "Argh! This thing is so uncomfortable!" "Just un-tuck your shirt like us." Yumichicka said. "Are you insane?!" Ikkaku replied, "Then where would I put my wooden sword?!" Heather was losing her patience; it was like babysitting all over again, "It's okay, Peter Pan. Captain Hook isn't going to look for you here." "What's that supposed to mean?! It would have been easier if they let me bring a real sword!" Ikkaku groaned. "If only it were legal." Heather laughed. "No swords?!" Ikkaku ranted on, "That's a stupid law!" "Shut up! You're making a scene!" Hitsugaya yelled at the group. Rangiku cheered, "Aha! He's in here! Go on, open the door!" Renji opened the door and greeted, "Hey! How have you been, Ichigo?!"

"Re-Renji! Ikkaku! Yumichicka! Rangiku! Heather! Toshiro!" Ichigo yelled all their names dramatically. Hitsugaya scowled, "That's Captain Hitsugaya!" "What're you guys doing here?!" Ichigo asked his friends. "We're on a mission." Renji replied seriously, "We were sent here to help the deputy Soul Reaper prepare for a battle with the Arrancars!" "Unfortunately, undercover is a foreign language to the Soul Society." Heather rolled her eyes and tugged at her collar. "Arran-who?" Ichigo questioned. "Huh?" Renji asked the boy, "You don't even know who you've been fighting?"

"Fool!" yelled a voice from the back of the room, "They're the guys that kicked your butt the other day!" "Oh, boy! The love of his life has arrived!" Heather announced loudly with irritation in her voice. The other Soul Reapers gave her a shocked look and she just shrugged. It was Rukia in the window. Ichigo had not heard what Heather said; he just stared at his friend, "Rukia…" "Hello, Ichigo!" Rukia greeted him, also ignoring what Heather had said.

The other high school students entered the room and began whispering among themselves. Chizuru tried getting Ichigo's attention but he continued to gawk at Rukia. Instantly, she flew from the window and kicked him. Ichigo yelled as her foot planted with his face, "Wha—?!" He flew into Renji's arms and cried, "What was that for?!" Suddenly Rukia smacked Ichigo across the face twice. "Hey!" Ichigo bellowed. "Look at yourself!" Rukia yelled at him. "Wha—?!" before Ichigo could get a full word out she hit him with the spirit glove and sent his soul out of his body.

"Sure, just leave him here." Heather scoffed, "It's not like we have to erase any memories, or anything…" "Come with me!" Rukia grabbed Ichigo by his collar, ignoring Heather completely. "Hey! What're you doing?! Where are we—?!" Ichigo was cut off as they flew out the window. "Just as we expected." Rangiku said. Renji added, "Hmph. That clown." "Did you see his face?" Ikkaku asked, "He could use a good thrashing." "Oh?" Rangiku joined in, "I thought that look was kind of sweet." "What?!" Yumichicka retorted, "Are you out of your mind?!" "I wasn't asking for your approval, Yumichicka." Rangiku answered with annoyance. "Then whose approval were you seeking?!" Yumichicka questioned obnoxiously, "Ikkaku's?!" "Leave me out of this!" Ikkaku snipped.

"Hey!" Hitsugaya yelled, "Keep it down!" Heather added, "No one wants to hear about Ichigo's love life." Suddenly the group noticed the students around them were focusing on Ichigo's limp body. They made comments on Renji's and Heather's hair, he looked more than offended while the woman flipped her now multicolored locks and gave the young group a smug expression. "Ignore them, Renji." Ikkaku said, "It's just human prattle." The students began to talk about Ikkaku. "All right. You two who said 'badly,' step forward." Ikkaku growled drawing his sword. "Ignore them, Ikkaku." Renji mocked, "It's just human prattle." "Aw! Hardcore Soul Society bad-asses are self-conscious too!" Heather wrapped her arms around both the men's necks for a group hug. "Get off, Heather!" Ikkaku demanded, "I'll slice them in two!" He pulled away from the woman, leaving her hugging Renji, who did not mind. Heather laughed, "With that?!" "I'll help you, Ikkaku!" Yumichicka cheered his friend on. Hitsugaya muttered to himself, "Why did I volunteer for this?"

There was a bunch of commotion coming from outside of the room finally the door slid open with the voice that Heather could only recognize to be Asano's shouting. "Hey! What are you doing having fun without…" he stopped upon seeing Ikkaku's angry glare, "…me?" He let out the last part in a whimper. Just as the man got into the boy's face did Heather decided to intervene, "You will do no such thing to him. Leave Asano be, people whom act their shoe size and not their appropriate age are prone to obnoxious behavior." "What was I gonna' do?" Ikkaku challenged her. "How did it go again? You were going to beat him, stretch him, play rock, paper, scissors with him. Like, seriously, dude?" Heather smirked and went on, "Fry him up like tempura and eat him. Like, ew!" "I hate it when you do that!" Ikkaku growled.

Rangiku joined in, slapping the man across his head "Stop whining. And shimmer down or I'll tell Yachiru." "What? But they called me…" Ikkaku protested but gave in, "Don't tell on me, please?" Rangiku clapped her hands, "That's better. Come on, you idiots! We're getting out of here!"


	45. Pet

**Chapter 45:**

Pet

Everyone was gathered for a meeting that took place in the throne room of Las Noches. "Has your pet learned to respect a power superior to hers?" Aizen asked whilst on his throne. Szayel smiled slightly at his lord and then gave Emily, who was kneeling bedside him, a little kick. She cringed and murmured, "Yes, Lord Aizen..." "Very well," Aizen smirked, "All right, Ulquiorra. Show us what you experienced in the World of the Living. All of it." Ulquiorra replied as he pulled his eye from its socket, "Yes, sir." The Espada crushed the eyeball with his hand and it became dust that surrounded the throne room. "Please…see for yourselves." Ulquiorra added before the scene unfolded.

"I see." Aizen stated, "So you decided he wasn't worth killing." Ulquiorra replied, "Yes, sir. The orders were to kill anyone who might be an obstacle to us. And—" He was interrupted by Grimmjow, "You're soft! If it was me I'd have killed them with the first strike." "Grimmjow…" Ulquiorra said distastefully. "What were you thinking?" the Sexta Espada asked and continued, "When you've got permission to kill, you kill! Right?!" Shawlong joined in, "I agree. He stood up to you. You should've killed him as a matter of course, worthy or not." "And look at you, Yammy! You're a mess!" Grimmjow called out to the other Espada, "Then you come back and tell us he wasn't worth killing? Looks to me like you guys _couldn't_ kill him!"

"Grimmjow, didn't you see what happened? The guy in the sandals and dark woman got me not the kid." Yammy defended himself. "What are you, stupid?" Grimmjow retorted, "I would've squashed them like bugs, too!" Yammy stood to his full height, "Oh, yeah?" "Enough." Ulquiorra stopped their bickering and added, "Grimmjow, I don't think you understand. That boy is no danger to us…yet." "Huh?" Grimmjow inquired. "Lord Aizen isn't worried about what his current abilities are. His growth rate is the problem. That boy has tremendous potential. Right now, his powers are extremely unstable. But I sensed that if he doesn't self-destruct, he might prove useful to us in the future. That's why I let him live." Ulquiorra explained. Grimmjow continued to argue, "I still say you're soft! And what if you're wrong about him? What if his powers stabilize and we have to fight him?! Then what?!" "Then I will deal with him." Ulquiorra stated.

"What does Szayel's pathetic little pet have to say about all this?" Nnoitra asked out of curiosity. "That's a good question…" Tia added. Everyone looked at Szayel and Emily. Szayel tugged at his collar and kicked his pet once more. Emily stuttered, "I—I say that…that we—I mean—Lord Aizen should—should let Grimmjow take…charge—" She was cut off by the room of Arrancars busting out into laughter save for Grimmjow. "Have you even been feeding her, Szayel?" Aaroniero chortled, "She sounds delirious!" Szayel nearly turned red out of embarrassment. Emily grabbed on to Szayel's leg in fear and consolation. He kicked her away. Nnoitra's shrill laugh was the loudest of the group, "That's your brilliant plan?! What an idiot!"

Aizen chuckled softly to himself, he could not stifle it. The brown-haired man soon composed himself and spoke to his army, "Do we still have a problem?" The laughter subsided and Aizen went on, "Very well. He's your responsibility, Ulquiorra. Do as you like with the boy." "Thank you, sir." Ulquiorra replied. Grimmjow snarled and huffed to himself before storming out of the throne room.


	46. Invasion

**Chapter 46:**

Invasion

Hitsugaya was sitting alone on the rooftop pondering the day's events when heard someone approach him from behind. "There you are!" Heather exclaimed. "Oh, it's you." Hitsugaya said without turning around. The captain sniffed the air, "What's that smell?" "Isn't it great?!" Heather responded happily, "Thank, God, Karakura has accommodations for American tourists!" She sat down next to him and Hitsugaya noticed she was holding a large white paper bag. "What is it?" the Captain asked. "Not my favorite kind of food but it's food none-the-less." Heather replied and handed him some of the contents of the bag, "Here ya' go!" Hitsugaya unwrapped the warm, round package to reveal a chicken sandwich. "I figured you would prefer chicken. Plus, Orihime and Rangiku ate already and I'm a little afraid to eat the child's cooking, so more for us!" Heather explained.

"Orihime's not much younger than you, you know…" the Captain pointed out. The woman laughed, "I am aware, but she's still just a kid. Maturity levels don't apply." "Obviously." The captain retorted. Suddenly, the air around them grew heavy. Heather looked to Hitsugaya, half joking and half-serious, "I feel a disturbance in the force." "Arrancars!" the captain exclaimed dramatically. The two pulled out their Soul Candies and swallowed them, leaving their gigai behind. "Captain!" called a voice from behind them. "Rangiku!" Heather called out to her approaching friend. "Where is Orihime Inoue?" Hitsugaya asked his lieutenant. The golden-haired woman responded, "My gigai is with her. It will keep her out of the fight." "Good," the Captain replied, "Get ready, you two. Here they come."

Instantaneously, two Arrancar appeared in front of the three. "Hello." greeted one of the Arrancars before it launched an attack. The white-haired Captain blocked the attack with ease. "I'm Arrancar number eleven—" the man began to speak but what cut short by Heather. "Shawlong Kūfang!" the woman answered eagerly, "And your buddy over here is—um—I got this! Don't tell me!" Hitsugaya yelled, "Heather, this isn't the time or place!" Rangiku instantly grabbed her friend by the wrist and the flash stepped away. When the two stopped, the Arrancar appeared in front of them. Heather yelled out, "Nakeem Grindina! That's the one!" Rangiku gave her a look. "I'm sorry, it was gonna' drive me insane." Heather replied sheepishly.

Fifteen minutes into the fight, Rangiku was down with Heather crouching beside her. "You have to request Genteikijo!" Heather whispered hastily to her fallen friend. Before she could react, Nakeem kicked her and sent her skidding away from Rangiku. "Puny Soul Reapers!" the Arrancar laughed as he turned to the lieutenant. He hovered over her before lifting his foot into the air. As he was about to squash Rangiku, she stood and blocked his large foot with her bare hand. The golden-haired woman muttered into her headset, "Thanks…"

Nakeem took a step back from Rangiku. She stood to her full height and yelled, "Captain! Renji! Genteikijo has been approved!" The woman put her hand over the marking on her chest and exclaimed, "Genteikijo!" Instantly, a huge amount of spiritual pressure was released. Heather rolled onto her side and smiled at her friend, "Whoop his ass!" Rangiku took a step closer to Nakeem and the Arrancar threw a punch at her. The lieutenant blocked it effortlessly. "You're too slow." Rangiku stated then inquired, "You know that speed you used to get here? Come at me about that fast. What was that move called again?" Nakeem vanished and instantly appeared from behind her. He replied, "Sonído." The Arrancar charged at the woman. Rangiku simply looked over her shoulder and muttered, "Oh." The lieutenant was able to dodge in time and then appear behind Nakeem. She retorted, "Ours is called Shunpo."

The Arrancar was cut by her lightening speed attack but did not waver. "Growl," Rangiku commanded, "Haineko." The woman's sword became ash and filled the air. Heather laughed loudly as she heard Shawlong scream out to his cohorts, "Retreat! Retreat for now!" Nakeem followed orders and levitated away from Rangiku. Upon doing this, the Arrancar was caught in the crossfire and killed along with Shawlong and Yylfordt Granz. Hitsugaya floated down to the rooftops from his injury. Rangiku ran to his aid and Heather followed. "Orihime, you're never around when we need you!" the woman with the multi-colored hair yelled out. Rangiku looked at her friend and almost laughed but stayed serious, "Really, Heather?" The woman laughed and asked with a little more significance, "So who's gonna' get Rukia and grab Chad?"


	47. Fault

**Chapter 47:**

Fault

Aizen, Szayel, and Emily waited patiently for Grimmjow and Tōsen. The silence was stifling. Emily knew she would be the scapegoat for Grimmjow's actions. She sighed as she grabbed Szayel's leg and held it for comfort. "Welcome back, Grimmjow." Aizen greeted, awaking Emily from her thoughts. She looked at the angry Espada and squeezed Szayel's leg tighter. He shook her off in annoyance. "Well?" Tōsen asked, "Aren't you going to apologize, Grimmjow?" "No." replied the Espada nonchalantly. "You…" Tōsen growled at the man. "It's alright, Kaname." Aizen stated, "I'm not angry." "But, Lord Aizen—" Tōsen interjected. "I take Grimmjow's actions to be an overzealous display of loyalty. Am I wrong, Emily?" Aizen looked to Emily who in turn flinched. She wanted nothing more than to be in her glass box.

Emily tried to explain, "Um—um…well—you see…given the circumstances—I think that—" "Spit it out!" Szayel yelled causing her to cringe. "No! It wasn't because of loyalty!" the woman cried out and immediately regretted it. "You bitch!" Grimmjow cursed at Emily angrily and took a step forward. She latched onto Szayel and hid her face in his hakama leg. Tōsen grabbed the Sexta Espada by the collar and said, "That proves it! Lord Aizen, let me execute him!" Aizen tried to calm his comrade, "Kaname…" "Let go of me!" Grimmjow snapped, "This is personal! None of you like me—especially her!" The blue-haired man pointed at the woman who was still clinging to Szayel who did not have the heart to push her away. "It has nothing to do with liking. You should pay for disrupting the peace." Tōsen claimed. "Who's peace, the groups?" Grimmjow spat with annoyance. Tōsen replied, "Lord Aizen's."

Grimmjow laughed, "Ha! Fine. Hide behind the cause." "Exactly, it's all about the cause. Your raid lacked purpose. Killing without purpose is only murder. On the other hand…" Tōsen trailed off, unsheathed his Zanpakutō, and then cut Grimmjow's arm clean off, "Killing with purpose is justice." Emily hid her face once more and began to whimper into the fabric of Szayel's pant leg. Grimmjow screamed bloody murder as his arm fell to the floor. "Hadō 54," Tōsen declared, "Haien." Simultaneously, Grimmjow's amputated limp burst into flame. The scent of burning flesh filled the air causing Emily to gag and cough. "No! No! No! No!" Grimmjow shrieked, "You rat! You cut off my arm!" The Sexta Espada prepared to attack Tōsen, "You're dead!" "Stop, Grimmjow." Aizen intervened, "If you attack Kaname, you'll force me to reprimand you." "Hmph!" Grimmjow huffed and gave Emily a dirty look before leaving the throne room. The woman wondered what she had gotten herself into and continued to hold on to Szayel tighter.


	48. The Key

**Chapter 48:**

The Key

It took several hours to hook the giant television up in Orihime Inoue's apartment. Surprisingly, Heather knew more about setting up technology from the Soul Society than Captain Hitsugaya did. "You should dumb yourself down in front of Captain Kurotsuchi, Heather." Lieutenant Matsumoto stated as she watched her friend and captain work together, "He'll probably want you to join the Twelfth Division." "Oh, Hell, no!" Heather laughed. Suddenly, Orihime poked her head into the room, "Woah…that's awesome!" Hitsugaya backed away from it while Heather continued to work. The woman with the multi-colored hair asked, "Is it still snowy, or what?" "There's still snow in the Seireitei." Rangiku answered with a chuckle.

"This is Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya of the Tenth Division." Hitsugaya announced randomly. The giant screen replied, "Yes, sir. One moment, please." Heather was still messing with the wires, trying to get the best picture. "And another thing, why would I want to work for that clown?" she asked Rangiku as a visible Head-Captain appeared on the screen. "Um, Heather…" Rangiku chuckled gravely to her friend. Heather went on, "Have you heard any of Emily's horror stories about that lunatic?" "Heather!" Orihime squeaked nervously. "Hold on, Orihime, I'm getting there." the woman was on a roll, "I mean who's the moron that allowed him to be captain? I mean that's like telling a pedophile to run a daycare!" On the screen Yamamoto's eyes cracked open slightly in surprise but closed again as he cleared his throat loud enough for Heather to hear. "That wasn't…" she trailed off and then questioned, "Yamamoto's heard all that, didn't he?" "Indeed." Yamamoto responded loudly which startled Heather, causing hit her head on the bottom of the screen. "Crap!" she hissed and rubbed her head, standing to her full height.

"Hey, there…Head-Captain…" Heather greeted the man with a smile, still rubbing her head. "You've said enough." Yamamoto stated and went on, "I asked you to set up this emergency link for an important reason. We've discovered Sōsuke Aizen's true objective." "Oh! You mean with the—!" Heather started but was cut short by Hitsugaya. "Heather, that's enough!" the young captain exclaimed with annoyance. "Oh…this sounds pretty serious, so I'll just be going." Orihime added as she was about to leave. Yamamoto stopped her, "Wait. This concerns you humans as well. Stay and listen." "Okay." Orihime smiled and stayed.

"It's been one month since Aizen escaped. The Fifth Division's Captain's room, the underground chamber of the Council of Forty Six, the Seijoto Kyorin, and the Daireishokiro Great Archive are still being examined." Yamamoto explained and then went on, "It's been hard going. Those locations are generally off limits. Few captains have any idea what's inside them." "What going on, Head-Captain?" Hitsugaya inquired somberly, "What is it you want to tell us?" Yamamoto replied, "Very well. Ukitake, while investigating the Great Archive, made an unusual discovery the other day. He found records that certain documents related to the Hōgyoku had been accessed. Then he found that two days before Aizen's disappearance, a body of literature completely unrelated to the Hōgyoku had also been accessed." "Literature about what?" Hitsugaya asked respectfully. "The Ōken." Yamamoto answered simply causing the two Soul Reapers in the room to react strangely and stiffen. "Ōken…what's that?" Orihime questioned curiously. "The Royal Key." Rangiku responded, "You see the Soul Society has its own Royal Family but they let the Council of Forty Six run the Soul Society and never interfere with our operations. None of us has actually ever seen them." Yamamoto added, "Indeed. The King's name is Reio. He's a symbolic yet revered figure in the Soul Society. The Royal's palace exists in a different dimension from the Soul Society. The Royal Security Corps guards it. The Ōken opens the gate to that dimension." Orihime concluded, "Then…Aizen wants to—" "Murder the King." Yamamoto replied, "That, I believe, is his true purpose. However, it is not the immediate threat."

"Does the book Aizen was looking at show the location of the Ōken?" Hitsugaya inquired. "No." Yamamoto answered, "That secret has been passed down orally by the Head-Captains of the Court Guard for generations. You won't find it in any book. What he accessed was literature documenting the creation of the Ōken. He knows…how it was made." Rangiku asked, "Then he could already have made his own Ōken." "It's…not that easy." Heather interjected looking at the head captain uneasily; she knew she was trending on thin ice. Yamamoto explained, "The immediate problem is the raw material he needs. To create an Ōken a hundred thousand souls and a jūreichi—a concentrated spirit zone—two Reiri in diameter are required." Orihime inquired, "A hundred thousand…souls?" "Yes. But the souls are not our only concern. A jūreichi is an unusual phenomenon in the World of the Living. Its location changes over time. It is a spiritually charged area to which spirits are drawn. Now do you see? The jūreichi that Aizen is after is…Karakura Town. Perhaps a hundred thousand souls and a jūreichi are a bit too abstract. To put it simply if Aizen completes the Ōken as indicated in the literature, Karakura and its people, all of them, will be carved out of this world an erased from existence." Yamamoto established gravely.

Orihime clenched her fists tightly in order to hold back from shaking but was reduced to a shiver as she spoke, "N—no. Isn't there…some way to stop him?" The head captain looked her over and spoke, "We will find a way. That is why the Thirteen Court Guard Squads exist." Rangiku and Heather looked over to Orihime with an assuring smile. As Yamamoto continued, "Thankfully, we have a little time. According to Kurotsuchi, the Hōgyoku remains in a dormant state for a time after it's removed from a soul. We believe it requires four full months to completely awaken. And until then, Aizen cannot assemble his army. But then he will make his move. The battle will come in winter! Until then, sharpen your skills and prepare yourselves for battle." "Yes sir!" Hitsugaya and Rangiku said simultaneously. "As for you, Heather…" Yamamoto started with a tone. Heather muttered under her breath, "Oh, crap." "I expect you on your best behavior. Just because Captain Kyōraku isn't breathing down your neck doesn't mean you are allowed to go hog wild!" the Head-Captain exclaimed with frustration. "Since when have I been on anything _but_ my best behavior?" Heather asked suavely. "Try harder." The old man ordered and turned to the youngest occupant. "And, Orihime Inoue." Yamamoto spoke kindly to the young woman, "What Aizen wants is in your world. That is too large an area for us to handle by ourselves. You humans will have to help us. So please inform Ichigo Kurosaki." Orihime replied, "Yes, sir!" "Then I'll go and notify Ikkaku and the others." Rangiku stated and addressed her superior before leaving, "Head-Captain!" "Right. I'll go with you." Hitsugaya added. "Oh." Yamamoto stopped him, "Wait a moment, Captain Hitsugaya. There's someone here who's been waiting to speak with you. Won't you stay and listen?" The white-haired captain paused and looked at the new face on the screen, "You." The young man gasped. "This is where I take my leave." Heather stated before exiting the room, "Nice talking to you again, Yama'!"


	49. Birth: Realizations

**Chapter 49:**

Birth

(Realizations)

The room was dark and cold. The only light in the room came from the glass box that contained a hollow. Aizen and most of the other Espada were present. Emily clung to Szayel; he was starting to not mind her presence as much. The doors to the room swung open to reveal Ulquiorra and Yammy. "Welcome, Ulquiorra and Yammy." Aizen greeted the two, "It won't be long now." The Cuatro and Diez Espada walked down the stairs to join the group. "What's the status of the Hōgyoku?" Ulquiorra inquired. "It's at fifty percent." Aizen stated as he removed the Hōgyoku from a box, "It will awaken exactly when the Soul Society expects it too. But there's a secret that only those who've actually touched the Hōgyoku know. I doubt that even Kisuke Urahara, who developed it and sealed it away so abruptly and never removed the seal, would know it. When the Hōgyoku is in a dormant state with its seal removed is joined with someone who possesses twice the spirit energy of a captain…for a short time its full power is released."

Aizen placed the Hōgyoku on the glass box that contained the hollow and the glass shattered around the hollow. "Can you tell me your name, new comrade?" Aizen questioned the achieved Arrancar. "Wonderweiss," stated the Arrancar, "Wonderweiss…Margela." Everyone stared at Wonderweiss for a while before the silence was broken. "Do you remember the order I gave you a month ago, Ulquiorra?" Aizen asked the Espada. Ulquiorra replied simply, "Yes." "Carry it out." Aizen ordered, "The choice is yours. Take whomever you like." "Yes, sir." Ulquiorra responded. "Oh, and would you like to go to, Grimmjow?" Aizen asked politely. Emily stared at Wonderweiss, knowing his fate. She felt somewhat guilty, as if perhaps she could prevent it. However, the woman stayed silent.

Aizen left the room where Wonderweiss was to attend other matters. Szayel and Emily followed. "Lord Aizen, may I be so bold as to request a word with you?" the Espada inquired trailing behind his lord. Emily slinked behind timidly and respectfully. Aizen answered simply, "You may." "I have been finding some strange happenings in my lab and my pet has been acting rather odd." Szayel paused and continued, "I can't seem to pinpoint the reason for all this and I was wondering if you noticed anything different in Las Noches?" "Actually…one of my Espada has been acting rather peculiar." Aizen replied with a tone as if he knew the conversation that was taking place was eventually going to happen. "May I ask whom?" the pink-haired man asked carefully. "Why don't you ask Emily?" his lord responded simply yet again and stopped in his tracks. They averted their gaze to the woman. Szayel looked confused but furious, ultimately scaring Emily terribly. She was so terrified that she could not speak. Aizen approached her, causing her legs to collapse, forcing her into a sitting position. The brown-haired man knelt beside her and whispered, "Now be a dear and tell Szayel which of his brethren have been visiting you." Emily stuttered fearfully, "N-n-Nnoitra…Gilga…" "Good girl." Aizen smirked, patting her on the head as if she were a child.


	50. A Change in Plan

**Chapter 50:**

A Change in Plan

Captain Ukitake's voice carried down to the grounds where the three women were training. "Kuchiki!" he called to the Soul Reaper. "Yes, sir! I just received the report too." the woman replied. "The Kidō Corps are working on opening the gate! Go to the Senkaimon in front of the barracks!" Ukitake ordered urgently. Rukia started to move, replying, "Yes, sir!" "Wait, Rukia! I'll go with you!" Orihime Inoue called after the black-haired woman but Heather grabbed her arm. "Heather?" the girl questioned looking at her friend. Heather answered, "I don't think that's a very good idea." "She's right. I told you when we came here, you don't have a hell butterfly. If you try to pass through the Senkaimon with me, you'll end up in the Dangai, the border between the World of the Living and the Soul Society." Rukia reminded the girl.

The captain used Shunpo and was beside the three women. "I just ordered the outer wall to be stabilized so you can safely pass through the Dangai. It will take a little time, but you'll be able to return to the World of the Living. I know you're in a hurry, but you have to stay calm. Understand?" he inquired. Orihime replied, "Yes, sir." "Don't look like that, Orihime." Rukia added, "I'll be waiting on the other side." "Okay." Orihime responded with a determined look.

"Ms. Inoue! Ms. Orihime Inoue! The outer wall of the Dangai has been stabilized! You can pass through now!" one of the Kidō Corps members called out the young girl. Orihime dashed passed them, "Thank you! Thank you so much!" "Hey! Wait up!" Heather hollered as she ran to catch up with the girl. Before she could make it past the pathways entrance, the woman felt a strong force holding onto her belt. The multi-color haired woman looked behind her to find Ukitake there and she asked him awkwardly, "Can I help you?"

"You have to stay here." The white-haired captain replied. "What? Why?" Heather questioned straightening up and turned to look at her friend, "I went last time. If it's about comparing Mayuri to a pedophile, that's all I could come up with at that moment in time." Ukitake looked baffled for a moment and shook his head while saying, "I don't want to know." "Then why did things change all of a sudden?" she could not help but ask. The man raised an eyebrow, "You were never supposed to leave your captain's side. Shunsui allowed you to go places inside the Seireitei while tracking your spirit energy. He had received a scolding while you were gone since he is still quite technically your mentor."

The woman's shoulders sagged and lightly hung her head. "What about Orihime?" she inquired looking at Ukitake. He smiled softly and replied, "She'll be accompanied by two escorts. Don't worry." Heather looked from the man and to the Dangai entrance, remembering what will happen next and bit her lip thinking on how much it sucked to be in her position. "I know, it's just I'll never forgive myself if something changes for the worst and someone winds up hurt." The man gave her an understanding look, "It's out of any of our control now. You aren't responsible for making sure that everything goes according to plan for you were never a part of it." "Yeah, but—" she started but was cut off. Putting an end to the subject at hand, Ukitake interjected, "Go find Shunsui, he's been sulking a little since you've taken to sleeping in his guest room lately."


	51. Confrontation

**Chapter 51:**

Confrontation

Aizen summoned Nnoitra to the throne room. When the Espada arrived, not only did he find his lord waiting for him, but Szayel and Emily as well. The black-haired man could have fallen over in surprise. Instead, he avoided eye contact with the other two and spoke directly to his leader, "Yes, Lord Aizen?" The brown-haired man looked the tall Espada over and inquired, "Do you know why I had summoned you, Nnoitra?" "No." the man stated bluntly. A smirk was set on the traitor's face before he clarified his reasoning, "It seems that we have been experiencing a security breech in the research area and one of our own has been causing it. Can you explain this?" "I have no clue." the Quinto Espada lied. "I do not welcome lies amongst my Espada, Nnoitra." the man stated more seriously and straightened up in his seat, "Now why have you been sneaking around in your brethren's palace?" Nnoitra looked as if he were at a loss for words for a moment but then regained his composure and replied, "Have you seen how he treats her?! This woman is supposed to be our best resource for the war, Lord Aizen. Szayel has reduced her to a mindless lab rat when we all know she is worth so much more."

Aizen's eyebrow rose ever so slightly, taken aback by the heart-filled finish to the Espada's speech. He glanced over to Emily who was wide-eyed with confusion and slight disgust. Szayel scoffed and butted in obnoxiously, "Nnoitra, it sounds to me as if you have developed feelings for this…" he paused to turn his gaze in Emily's direction, "Thing." The taller man straightened up and snarled back not so convincingly, "I do not!" "Whoa, take it easy!" the pink-haired man replied with a mocking smirk. "Shut up! You probably try to screw her every time Lord Aizen's back is turned!" Nnoitra screeched taking a threatening step towards the scientist. Szayel made a face of disgust, "Have you actually taken a good look at her?" "She's beautiful!" the Quinto Espada defended loudly, making it quite obvious that this conversation was upsetting him.

The brown-haired man chuckled from on top of his throne, "It seems that there is more than my benefit is on your mind, Nnoitra." The black-haired Espada blushed out of embarrassment. "That's not true, Lord Aizen. You see, I-I-I—." Nnoitra tried to explain but was cut off with another haughty laugh. "I know what you were thinking. You will see to it to avoid the research facility, or you will answer to me for your disobedience." the high traitor spoke seriously, "You are all dismissed."


	52. Slip-up

**Chapter 52:**

Slip-up

After Orihime Inoue's disappearance, Heather was called to the First Division. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that the meeting was not going to go well. The young woman kept quiet throughout the entire time. She would not even look in Captain Ukitake's direction when she and Captain Kyōraku had arrived to the meeting. "Heather, you know what I'm going to have to ask you, correct? About what happened yesterday?" Ukitake inquired gently. Heather winced, "What about it, Shirō? You know what I can and can't do." The captain replied, "I understand, but people are starting to wonder whose side you're on." "You can't be serious." Kyōraku retorted. Heather almost lost her temper, "You've gotta' be kidding me. All because of—"

The brown-haired woman was interrupted by the sound of the large screen in the room flickering to life, "Ukitake?" On the screen appeared Captain Hitsugaya, Ichigo Kurosaki, and company. The young captain inquired with bewilderment, "Where's the Head-Captain?" "There's some news I felt we should tell you ourselves." Ukitake replied and pointed out Heather's presence. Hitsugaya prodded, "Why?" Taking a deep breath, the woman questioned gravely, "Orihime isn't there, is she?" Heather received a raised eyebrow from several people on the screen. "What's going on, Ukitake?" Ichigo asked the Captain of the Thirteenth Division, "What happened to her? Where did she go?" Ukitake opened his mouth to speak but then stopped and looked to the young woman, "Maybe you can explain this better than I could."

Throwing her arms in the air, Heather was obviously in a foul mood. "Why not!" she snapped and commenced to inform everyone, "The Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer, broke into the Senkaimon and whisked Orihime away to Hueco Mundo. Don't worry; she'll be fine as long as she cooperates." Ukitake and Kyōraku looked at the woman with both shock and relief. Ichigo, however, became irate. The boy raised his voice, "Then why didn't you do anything to help her?!" Heather's annoyance doubled and soon she was enraged. She hollered at the orange-haired boy, "Apparently, I'm not allowed to leave here, let alone say anything. So my hands are kinda' tied here, don't you think? Maybe, if most of you didn't make her feel useless, this wouldn't have happened!"

"It's most regrettable," Captain Yamamoto announced his arrival. Confused, Rukia Kuchiki had inquired for clarity, "Head-Captain…Sir?" However, Ichigo could not wait for a response. He snapped, "Regrettable? Is that what you call it?" "Head-Captain, I know this looks bad, but she had no choice—" Heather quickly tried to defend Orihime but her words had fallen on deaf ears. Cutting her short, Captain Yamamoto ordered, "That's enough. You know that no matter which way you word it, she has joined the Arrancars on her own free will." The orange-haired boy grew more upset and just as he was about to argue with eldest captain, Lieutenant Abarai stopped him.

"Stop. You'll only make things worse." Renji explained and turned to his superior, "We understand, Head-Captain. So I, as Leader of the Advance Team, will go to Hueco Mundo and open the eyes of the traitor, Orihime Inoue!" Ichigo gawked at the lieutenant, "Renji!" "You will not!" the Head-Captain interjected angrily, "Now that we know the Arrancars are battle ready, the entire Hitsugaya Advance Team will immediately return to defend the Soul Society." "You want us to abandon Orihime?" Rukia asked, looking at the screen with disbelief. Captain Yamamoto replied, "Exactly. She is only one girl and we have the fate of worlds to consider." Ichigo and Rukia directed their rage filled gazes toward Heather. "And you're just going to stand there?!" the boy hollered with spite dripping from his tongue. "Listen, you," the brown-haired woman was on the verge of yelling, "I'm in enough trouble as it is and we both know exactly what you're gonna' do: try to save the day!"

"I suspected as much," the Head-Captain remarked, "As for the rest of you, I took precautions against any rebellion." Suddenly, the Senkaimon opened behind the group, revealing Captains Kuchiki and Zaraki. Renji called out with surprise, "Captain!" "You heard the Head-Captain," Zaraki noted, "Come with us." Kuchiki added, "Do not resist. We've been ordered to use force if necessary." "Fine," Ichigo stated abruptly, "I'm not asking the Soul Society to help me. Just tell me how to get to Hueco Mundo. Orihime is my friend. I'll save her all by myself." The orange-haired teen had lit the short fuse that was Heather's patience and she was about ready to blow. A maniacal laughter escaped the woman's lips, gaining everyone's full attention. "You do that and you'll die before you reach the gates of Las Noches. You won't even be able to handle the guard. Don't say you're not asking for help, you arrogant little shit."

Everyone stared at Heather. They could not believe her harsh words. Seeing as all eyes were on her, the young woman looked as if she just dug herself a deeper grave. Kyōraku gaped at Heather in complete shock. Ukitake had sighed softly with disappointment. Ichigo and Rukia were stunned. Ikkaku, Yumichicka, and the two lieutenants appeared uneasy. Captain Kuchiki flashed a slight smirk, were as Zaraki wore his proudly. Hitsugaya simply cleared his throat. The Head-Captain seemed very displeased but spoke calmly, "As Heather so eloquently put it: you are in dire need of training. Stand by for further orders. That is all."


	53. Sexta

**Chapter 53:**

Sexta

Aizen sat on his throne observing the few Espadas that stood before him. With the Espadas was a new face, Orihime Inoue. The brown-haired man watched as Orihime intently stared at Emily, whom was kneeled at Szayel's feet. Her eyes were blank and she was silent as a servant awaiting orders. Aizen's trademark smirk adorned his features as he greeted, "Welcome to Las Noches, our palace, Orihime Inoue." Perching his jaw on his knuckles, he stared at her thoughtfully and inquired, "That is your name isn't it?" "Yes," the girl affirmed meekly as she stared up at the former captain. "I'm sorry to rush you, Orihime, will you show me that power of yours?" Aizen asked kindly. Orihime stuttered, "Y—Yes." "There are a few here who aren't completely convinced of the value of your powers. Isn't that right, Luppi?" the traitor inclined to one of his Espada.

Luppi Antenor leaned forward in a light bow. "That's right." the Sexta confirmed and questioned, "Our battle was just a diversion to get one stupid girl? How could she be worth it?" "I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd get injured so severely." Aizen apologized mockingly before he turned back to Orihime, "Ahh. What if…Orihime, would you demonstrate your powers by healing Grimmjow's left arm?" "Yeah, right!" Luppi scoffed, "That's crazy, Lord Aizen! Grimmjow's left arm?! It's gone! Director General Tōsen chopped it off! How can you heal something that's gone?! She's not a god!" "Soten Kishun," Orihime summoned her powers as she turned to Grimmjow, "I…reject." "Hey! Did you hear what I said, girl?! If you're trying to save your life with this stupid show, don't! If it doesn't work, I'll kill you! If your powers are bogus, then there's no reason to keep…" the Espada antagonized but trailed off at the sight of Grimmjow's arm materializing, "You…alive…"

The blue-haired man's arm had completely regenerated. "Wha—" Luppi stammered as Grimmjow flexed his arm, "How?! This goes way beyond healing! What did you do, girl?!" Aizen retorted with amusement, "Good question. Ulquiorra believes it's a form of temporal or spatial regression." "Yes." Ulquiorra Cifer affirmed politely. "No way," Luppi panicked, "How could a human possess such a power? It's impossible!" Aizen replied seriously, "Indeed. It's neither of those things. It is…a rejection of phenomena." As the words left the brown-haired man's lips, Luppi's eyes widened with shock. The Espada gasped, "A what?!" Aizen continued his explanation, dumbing it down, "Her powers limit, reject, and deny all phenomena that have affected her subject. She can make it as if the damage never happened. This is far more than temporal or spatial regression. In fact, it oversteps the limitation set by the gods. Her powers violate divine law."

"Hey, girl," Grimmjow called to Orihime and pointed to his back, "Heal one more thing." She walked behind the former Espada and reactivated her powers. Orihime healed the number six on the Grimmjow's back. Luppi demanded, "What do you think you're doing, Grimmjow?" The blue-haired man turned to face the Espada with an evil grin. "Huh?" Grimmjow inquired wickedly. Before Luppi could retort, the former Sexta's hand went through his chest. The Espada stuttered weakly, "G…Grimmjow…You—" "Just this," Grimmjow interjected and positioned his other hand for an attack, "Bye-bye, Number Six." As he spoke, the blue-haired man released a massive cero that obliterated Luppi's upper half. The knees of the corpse gave out and buckled to floor. The newly reclaimed Sexta began a fit of hysterical laughter.


	54. Quarrel

**Chapter 54:**

Quarrel

"Like Hell you're going!" Captain Kyōraku exclaimed as he let the information sink in. He knew what she was planning. "Shun, that's not fair!" Heather protested angrily, "I'm strong enough, aren't I?" "Sorry, dear, it's not happening." the brown-haired man finalized with a tone of annoyance in his voice. "Who are you to tell me?!" Heather challenged taking a step toward him. "I'm the captain who was put in charge of you!" Kyōraku reminded the woman in a harsh tone. He straightened his posture subconsciously as if his sheer size would intimidate her. The young woman cocked her head back in surprise, "So that's what you think of this whole thing?!" "Yeah, I do!" the captain affirmed loudly.

Kyōraku expected a look of indignation on her face but instead she gave him a hurt glare. Heather snapped, "Fine!" Honestly thinking that she had given up, he leaned in to kiss her cheek. The brown-haired woman pushed the captain away. "Take your rank and your opinions—and shove it!" Heather snarled angrily before stomping away from Kyōraku. Frozen in the position she had left him in, the man was left staring blankly in shock and confusion. As the door slammed in the distance, the captain scratched his head under his straw hat. "What just happened?" Kyōraku could not help but to ask himself aloud.

An hour and a half later, the Captain of the Eighth Division sat on his office couch. He was still stumped as to what had happened during the argument. Kyōraku kept tabs on his lover's spirit energy. He knew she was headstrong enough to go do what she wanted. The brown-haired man looked to his lieutenant, whom was doing paperwork. "Nanao-chan?" Kyōraku asked softly. Lieutenant Ise sighed in frustration at the pet name, but answered him, "Yes, Captain?" "I have a question, despite the fact that I've had fair experience with women in general: are all of you somewhat emotionally insane?" Kyōraku inquired seriously. The black-haired woman raised an eyebrow and questioned, "I take it you and Heather had your first quarrel, sir?" "What makes you say that?" the captain replied with a light snap. "Nothing, Captain." Ise answered quickly. The brown-haired man inclined with a sigh, "Well, I was hoping for your opinion, since you're a woman and all." "We're not really supposed to talk about that in the office and thank you for that shrewd deduction, sir." the lieutenant responded flatly. "Aren't we feeling clever today, Nanao-chan?" Kyōraku teased dryly.

"No, we're not insane. Men just like putting their foot in their mouths." Ise explained honestly, sensing her captain's mood. "How did I do it though?!" he almost exclaimed. The woman shrugged and inquired, "What did you say that made her react?" "I told her that I was the captain put in charge of her when she asked if that's how I thought about the whole thing." Kyōraku clarified, "I said, 'Yes' and then she told me to take my rank, my opinions and to 'shove it'. I don't know where but that's not the point." "The whole thing?" the lieutenant pondered aloud, "It kind of sounds like she got insulted on being noted as just your ward, Captain." "Huh?" the man questioned, lost at her conclusion. "You didn't mention that you cared about her wellbeing, or that you care about her in general," Ise deduced as she adjusted her glasses to sit farther on the bridge of her nose, "She's just something to be watched."

"But that's ridiculous," Kyōraku dismissed the thought with a light smile that faded immediately, "Isn't it?" "It sounds to me like you said you were just some man that had to look after her." the woman explained. Realization seemed to have dawned on him as he replayed the scene in his head. "Aw, damn!" the captain cursed and stood up, "That didn't sound good. You think you can hold down the fort while I go talk to her?" "Don't tell her she took it the wrong way, sir." Ise replied watching him leave while shaking her head.

As soon as Kyōraku returned to his home, he ran into Heather. She averted her curious eyes away from him, wanting absolutely nothing to do with the man. The Captain of the Eighth Division sighed in disappointment. He hated it when any woman was upset with him. "Can we talk?" Kyōraku asked sincerely. "You made your piece perfectly clear, Mr. Kyōraku." the young woman stated icily, causing him to flinch. "Nanao should borrow that tone from you sometime." the brown-haired man tried to lighten the mood, "She might actually get me to work." Heather was silent.


	55. Intruders

**Chapter 55:**

Intruders

The Espadas were gathered in the meeting room, waiting patiently for their lord. They idly chatted away. "We have intruders." Coyote Starrk announced. Barragan Luisenbarn asked abruptly, "Intruders?" Zommari Leroux informed, "Underground Passage #22 has self-destructed." "Oh?!" Barragan exclaimed and added, "They picked an awfully far spot to break in." "You can say that again," Szayel Aporro-Granz chuckled as he sat down in his seat, "It would have been fun if they'd broken right into the throne room." Nnoitra Gilga laughed abruptly, "Excellent!" "Shut up," Starrk ordered, "I'm trying to sleep over here. Stop screaming." "Good morning, Espadas," Aizen smirked as he entered the meeting room with Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen trailing behind him, "We've been invaded. But first, some tea."

The brown-haired man sat down in his spot at the head of the table and his two cohorts stood close by, awaiting instructions. A servant appeared and poured the lord his tea, leaving without a word. "Does everyone have a cup?" Aizen asked without concern and having received no reply, he continued, "Alright then. Please listen to me while you enjoy your tea. Kaname, the picture please." "Yes, my lord." Tōsen obeyed and switched the lights off, turning on the table projector. A hologram appeared in the center of the table and the image contained the three intruders. "There are three intruders. Uryū Ishida, Yasutora Sado, and Ichigo Kurosaki." Aizen informed his Espadas. Aaroniero Arruruerie inquired boldly, "That's the enemy?" "Pssh," Barragan criticized, "You said it was an enemy raid, those are just kids." "They look so boring." Szayel chuckled dryly. Yammy Llargo adds, "Hmph." Aizen warned the group with a playful smirk, "Don't underestimate them. They were among the Ryoka that invaded the Soul Society and defied the Thirteen Court Guard."

"There were four then. They're short one this time. Who is missing?" Zommari questioned. Ulquiorra Cifer answered, "Orihime Inoue." "So they've come to rescue their friend." Nnoitra stated and added, "I like it. But they look weak." Tia Harribel asked, "Are you deaf? You were just warned not to underestimate them." "I didn't mean it like that. Don't get your panties in a bunch. Are you afraid of them or something?" Nnoitra inquired and rolled his eyes. Grimmjow Jeagerjaques suddenly rose from his seat and walked towards the door causing Tōsen to ask, "Where are you going, Grimmjow?" "I'm gonna' kill 'em." the Sexta replied simply, "They're vermin. The sooner they're exterminated, the better." "Lord Aizen hasn't given you your orders yet. Sit down." Tōsen demanded. The blue-haired Espada proceeded to give the blind man an angered look and responded, "I'm going to kill them for Lord Aizen." "Grimmjow," Aizen acknowledged his subordinate. The Sexta hesitated but answered with a question, "Yes?" "Your enthusiasm is appreciated but I haven't finished talking yet. Please sit down." the brown-haired man ordered the Espada but did not receive a reply, he inquired, "What's that? I didn't hear you, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques."

Turning his head over his shoulder, Aizen smirked and raised his spirit energy. The blue-haired man fell to knees as he struggled to breathe. "Good," the lord stood and turned fully toward Grimmjow, "Now we understand each other. Now then, as you can see, three enemies have arrived. I wouldn't underestimate them, but no need for excessive alarm either. I want all of you to return to your palaces and go about your business as usual. Don't be overconfident and don't be reckless. Just wait for the enemy." Aizen extended his hand mockingly to the Sexta. He clarified confidently, "No matter what happens, as long as you're with me, no one can defeat you." Grimmjow returned to his seat with his head hung low as his Superior sat down once again.

All of sudden Aizen shifted his attention towards the empty spot next to Szayel and announced softly, "Emily." There was no reply until the Octavo snapped his fingers and motioned his pet to move toward his side. Emily, whom had been affected by the Aizen's surge of spiritual pressure, had struggled to get to her feet. Although, she quickly made it to the pink-haired Espada's side and replied politely, "Y—yes, my Lord?" "I was wondering where you were." he had smiled at the greeting and paused for a response. The woman looked at him curiously but did not dare speak. Aizen then inquired, "I wonder if you can tell me if there are any more 'house guests' to expect?" Emily did not hesitate to report, "Renji Abarai and Rukia Kuchiki, my Lord."

"What are they doing here?" Ichimaru questioned with a devilish smirk, "I thought that no one would dare go up against the Head-Captain's orders." "Byakuya Kuchiki let them go. He was only ordered to bring them back to the Soul Society, not keep them there." the young answered quietly. Aizen sat a little straighter in his seat with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "I see. Captain Kuchiki decided to be technical." Emily nodded, not liking the overly-happy expression on the brown-haired man's face. The Espadas looked at one another and then back to their leader, wondering if his plans had changed. "Like I had said before, all of you will remain in your palaces. Just wait and let's see how this plays out."


	56. The Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter 56:**

The Calm Before the Storm

Heather hit the ground on her bum once more; she looked up at the man whom was looking down at her concerned. "Are you okay? That one looked like it hurt." Kyōraku questioned. "I'll be fine." The brown-haired haired woman replied softly. As much as she hated to admit it, that fall did hurt. "If you want to rest, we can. It's been a while since we took one." he offered, reading her pained expression. "No. I can keep going." Heather replied as she struggled to get to her feet. A shooting pain surged straight through her back and she let out a whimper. The next thing she felt was the captain scooping her into his arms before settling on the ground himself. "Easy there, that spunk is gonna kill you one day." The man warned gaining a disappointed sigh. "I know, I just want to—." She started but was cut off, "You'll get there, nothing good happens when you push yourself too hard."

The woman rolled her eyes knowing that he wouldn't catch the action and looked at the scenery around them and commented, "I didn't really notice the scenery but it's really quite beautiful around this time of year." The captain turned his attention to what his lover was looking at and smiled, "It is, isn't it?" "Why does it feel so quiet? Fall never felt this way, it always seemed loud and vibrant." "You know what's going to happen when autumn ends. It only seems quiet now." the man informed her looking at the bright colored leaves and sighed wearily. "That moment when you realize that you're going to fall down the stairs and can't do anything about it." the woman in his lap pondered out loud. "Mhm." he answered in a melancholy hum.


	57. Impending Doom

**Chapter 57:**

Impending Doom

Aizen was sitting in his personal chamber when an Arrancar servant appeared and kneeled before him. "My Lord, I have news to report! Arrancar No. 103, Privaron Espada Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio, was defeated by an intruder just moments ago!" the Arrancar informed. "Is that so?" Aizen asked as he rose from his seat, "It seems he found it more difficult than I expected." "My Lord?" the Arrancar inquired. "I thought he would make short work of Dordoni. Ah, well. But don't you have something else to tell me?" Aizen charged his spiritual energy at the lowly Arrancar and questioned, "Who sent the Exequias after him?" The Arrancar struggled to answer under the pressure, "My…my Lord…" "What's wrong? It's a simple question." Aizen prodded with a slight tone in his voice.

"It was I, Lord Aizen." Szayel appeared at the doorway to the chamber, Emily by his side. "I see, Szayel Aporro." Aizen stated. Instantly, Szayel fell to one knee and Emily did the same. However, the pink-haired man was more exaggerated. He began to plead loudly, "Forgive me, my Lord! The intruder was wounded. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to eliminate him when he was vulnerable. So I made the decision! I had no authorization, but I did it for you, Lord Aizen! I am prepared to accept my punishment!" Aizen stood there and simply stared at the Espada in question. "No, it's alright." the brown-haired man stated simply as he returned to his chair. Szayel lifted his head, his eyes wide in surprise. "As long as you had a good reason, I won't hold it against you." Aizen added as he sat down. Szayel lowered his head again and he stuttered, "Th—Thank you, my Lord!" Aizen did not reply as the Espada stood and bowed once more, Emily repeated the action. "Not so fast," the former captain stopped them in mid bow, "Emily." He took the two by surprise. They looked up nervously and Szayel nudged Emily in the ribs, implying that she should respond. "Yes, my Lord?" she squeaked.

"I think it is about that time again." Aizen said coolly. Emily looked puzzled and replied, "My Lord?" "Do tell us something of importance." the brown-haired man replied with a smirk, knowing she knew what he was saying. Emily hesitated to answer. Aizen spoke calmly but ordered, "Come now." "Nnoitra Gilga has left his palace in search of the intruders, my Lord." Emily spoke quickly as if it pained her to speak. The lord lightly shook his head in annoyance.


	58. Uninvited

**Chapter 58:**

Uninvited

Heather was jolted awake by the sound of rapping on the front door. "Shun, what time is it?" she groaned shoving the man's arm off of her as she sat up. "Time for Nanao to take another look at the schedule. I'm off today." Kyōraku answered groggily attempting to pull his lover back into bed. Heather inquired, "Why would she be knocking? I thought she had a key." "She gave it back. You wake me up and we're on time all the time." the captain explained and gently pulled her arm and half-begged, "Now come back and warm me." The woman chuckled lightly while grabbing Kyōraku's kimono and threw it on while informing, "Let me tell Nanao that she was looking at the wrong day then you can have me to yourself all day if you want."

The brown-haired man gazed at Heather, nodding dumbly. She tied the sash when he finally blurted, "You look good in pink, love." Heather looked at him somewhat startled; he had never called her that before. She tried to hide her overjoyed smile and control the welling happiness inside her. The knocking became louder and more impatient causing the smile and good feelings to drain. "Damn door!" Heather cursed and trudged out of the room saying, "I'll be back, sweetheart." "Hurry!" Kyōraku called after her.

The brown-haired woman walked up to the front room door, mildly surprised that it had not fallen down yet. "Nanao, I know you love us so much you don't know what to do with yourself when we're gone but even God had a day of rest." she said opening the barrier and stopped cold. There were two people, a man and a woman who were both much older looking than Kyōraku. The older woman quirked an eyebrow in Heather's direction and asked, "Can you inform Master Kyōraku that we've arrived?" "I can as in I am able to." the youth retorted and leaned against the doorframe, "No offence, but who are you yahoos?" The two looked somewhat startled by the question as if she should have already known and clarified, "We're Shunsui's parents, not 'yahoos'." Heather's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She could have screamed in anguish on how bad this first impression was to her lover's parents of all people.

"Oh! My mistake!" the brown-haired woman said while straightening up and moved to the side, "Come in, I'll get him." "You're not the maid, are you?" the man inquired looking Heather over. "Do I look like a maid?" she replied, not liking the conversation. "Don't get us wrong, Miss—" the older woman tried to explain but was cut off. "I understand, it's just a misunderstanding." Heather stated, trying to keep the peace. "Yes, Shunsui does date, but he's not consistent enough to… is this his?" Kyōraku's mother inquired, observing the pattern. "Why, yes. Yes it is." Heather stated proudly. There was an awkward pause between the three until the young woman decided to break the silence, "I'll go get him." Heather almost used shunpō to get to the bedroom.

She closed the door with a snap causing the man to jolt. "Hey, wh—wh—what are you—come here." Kyōraku beckoned in mid-yawn. "I think we need to get dressed, hon." the brown-haired woman said seriously. The captain groaned and looked his lover over. He almost whined, "But you said that I can keep you all day." "I know, I know, but why don't we do something?" Heather coaxed as she walked to his side of the bed and traced a pattern seductively on his shoulder. Having gained the resting man's attention, he inquired, "Hm? And what would that be, my sweet?" Kyōraku held onto her hand and kissed the back of it. "How about we meet your parents?" the woman asked. The captain stopped what he was doing, obviously taken aback by the request. "Wh—What?" he questioned as if he did not understand the question. Heather tried to clarify, "Your parents, dear." "Why now?!" he inquired with alarm. "Eh, only because they're in the living room." she answered nonchalantly.

Kyōraku replied as if his brain did not fully process the information, "Oh, that makes sense—Wait, what?! What are they doing here?" "I don't know, I didn't think on asking." Heather responded watching the man get up and throw on a set of clothes as quickly as possible. Once the pair were completely dressed, they made their way to the living room where Kyōraku's parents were waiting impatiently. "Mom…dad." the captain greeted before finding a place comfortable to sit. "Well, it's about time you woke up, Shunsui." his mother scolded playfully. "Haha. Yeah, that never gets old." Kyōraku stated in a bored manner. "So, who's your friend, boy?" his father questioned looking at Heather suspiciously.

"Oh, sorry! I'm Heather." the young woman introduced herself timidly. The captain raised an eyebrow; she had never acted this way before. "Oh? I am Megumi and this is my husband, Arata." the older woman reciprocated. "Howdy!" Heather smiled warmly in reply. Megumi and Arata gave each other a look. "And what are your intentions with my son?" the captain's mother inquired seriously. Heather stared at Megumi, mouth agape. She answered nervously, "I don't intend to do anything wrong if that's what you're asking…" The older woman laughed at the awkward reply, "I'm only kidding! It's obvious what you two are doing." Heather's eyes widened in shock but she internally shook it off. Kyōraku, however, put his head in his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose in embarrassment. "You gonna' hang onto this one, or throw this fish back in the water?" Arata asked his son.

Heather stopped breathing. "Dad, stop!" the captain exclaimed. "Honey!" Megumi scolded, "I think we've embarrassed these two enough." "Nonsense! It's just a simple question that deserves a respectable answer." the oldest man chortled. Heather jumped out of her seat and inquired, "I'm going to go get a drink, and anyone wants anything?" "Sake, dear." Kyōraku replied softly. "Send some around here too." Arata added. "Here, let me help you." the older woman offered, getting to her feet. "You don't have to, ma'am." Heather answered and stopped, realizing how formal she was acting. Megumi smiled. Pleased at the response, the captain's mother insisted, "No trouble at all." "O—Okay." the brown-haired woman replied then led the guest into the kitchen area.

"You'll have to forgive my husband, dear. He's just looking out for Shunsui's best interests." Megumi stated in a whisper once she had gotten close enough. She did not help Heather at all but she felt the need to set the record. "Don't sweat it. I think I'd act the same way." the younger woman answered. "You have to admit; we have reason to be concerned," the captain's mother continued, "He acts far too frivolous for his age." "I like that about him." Heather defended, not really thinking through what she was about to say next, "It's a good trait in a man to be a little goofy, especially when kids are involved."

Megumi's eyes widened. Not understanding the context of Heather's words, she gasped loudly, "You're not pregnant, are you?!" The brown-haired woman completely straightened up and stared back wide-eyed. Her reply was cut short by the sound of choking. The Captain of the Eighth Division inhaled a little too quickly and began to cough. Arata reached over and firmly swatted his son's back a few times. "I'm okay." Kyōraku gasped softly. Ignoring his mother's question, Heather called over to him worriedly, "Shun, are you okay?" "Heather, are you going to have a…a baby?" the brown-haired man stammered. His face held a mixture of emotions. It ranged from scared and concerned to something else that Heather could not put her finger on. She shook her head and answered, "No, dear, I was only talking in a future context. I'm not having a baby anytime soon." Kyōraku sighed as if he had been holding his breath, "Oh…great."


	59. Forgotten

**Chapter 59:**

Forgotten

Lieutenant Abarai coughed several times as the dust settled around him. He surveyed the surrounding area and asked no one in particular, "Blast, a pit fall? Where am I…?" Suddenly the red-haired man heard cackling and the same voice cheered, "Splendid! I set a lot of traps along the way but I didn't think anyone would fall for the simplest ones!" Abarai cautiously began to unsheathe his Zanpakutō. "Oh," said the voice once more as one of the walls opened, "I'm sorry. Let me introduce myself." Two people emerged from the wall. It was a man and a younger woman. "I'll only say it once. I hope your feeble brain can remember it." the man announced dramatically whilst pulling a device from his ear, "I'm number eight, Octavo Espada, Szayel Aporro Grantz…and I trust you know your own comrade?" The Espada motioned to the woman by his side. The lieutenant had to look long and hard before the realization hit him square between the eyes. "Emily!" Abarai exclaimed as he nearly fell over, "What have they done to you?!" The woman simply gave him a blank look. Suddenly a voice screamed in terror. The red-haired man turned toward the hole he came from and questioned, "That voice—Dondochakka?! He dropped through the hole before I did, so where is he?!" Abarai had an epiphany and shuffled away from the hole. "Phew!" he smiled with relief and commented, "That was close. I was afraid he'd fall on me." Simultaneously, a hole opened in the wall behind the lieutenant and Dondochakka fell out, landing on top of him. "Dat hurt!" cried the friendly Arrancar, "Aw, my achin' tush! It was scary in dat tube!" Abarai struggled underneath the creature and he demanded, "Shut up and get off me!" Dondochakka instantly noticed Szayel whom looked unimpressed and yelped. "Y—Y—You! Y—Y—You're da Octavo Espada Szayel Aporro?!" the Arrancar stuttered. He went on but was cut off by the red-haired man hollering at him, "Hey! What's with the blatant exposition! Get off me! I can't breathe!" "Huh?" Dondochakka asked somewhat innocently, "Renji? Whaddaya doin' down there?" Abarai kicked the Arrancar in its large eye forcing him off his body. The Arrancar squealed, "Ow! Hey, what was dat for?!" The lieutenant grabbed the foot his used to kick his companion, "Shut up! Or I'll kick you again! Geez, your face is hard!"

Szayel smirked at the two and inquired, "Is your comedy routine over?" Abarai glowered at the Espada over his shoulder. "Whoa…that's a scary face." the pink-haired man stated, "Relax. I may be an Espada, but I'm not much of a fighter. Like the large one said, I'm a scientist. Being here allows me to—" "Stop." the lieutenant interrupted Szayel while unsheathing his sword, "You've got it all wrong. I didn't come here to chat. I came here to crush you guys. Your resume doesn't interest me. But go ahead and talk. I'll just cut you down where you stand. Bankai! Hihi ō!"

Abarai's Bankai manifested for all but a few moments before it shattered and returned to its sleeping form. He stammered, "Wh—What happened?" "Heh," Szayel chuckled, "You didn't let me finish. In this room you can't perform Bankai." "I can't…perform Bankai?" the lieutenant inquired in confusion. "Very good. Repeating it will help you remember. You learn quickly, for an idiot." the Octavo mocked and explained, "The details of your Bankai, its shape, nature, spirit energy, reishi composition, as well as its ultimate form are all familiar to me. So I made some adjustments to this place in order to seal up your Bankai." "My Bankai's ultimate form? Someone who was struck by it could only know those things. How could you…?"Abarai trailed off. Szayel answered simply, "My older brother." "What?" the red-haired man questioned. "Do you remember my name? You don't, do you? All right, I'll say it again. My name is Szayel Aporro-Grantz. Illfort Grantz is my older brother." the Espada retorted. The lieutenant gawked at him, "Your brother?!"

"Oh. So you remember the worthless fool. Ah…I'm surprised." Szayel remarked smugly. Abarai commented, "Then you're not here to avenge him." The pink-haired man laughed abruptly and clarified, "Of course not. Why would I? As I was treating his wounds, I collected the data on your Bankai from the parasitic rokureichu I implanted all over his body. He was just a box carrying the rokureichu for me. And I'm too mature to get mad over a broken box." The lieutenant appeared enraged and added, "Then you're the fool." "And your comments continue to confirm my judgment. Your stupidity is mind-boggling. Oh well. You can neither win nor escape." Szayel deduced as reached for his Zanpakutō, "Don't move this is the first time I've actually met someone who can perform Bankai. This is an exciting moment for me. So please don't struggle any more than you have to. I need your corpse intact."

The red-haired man proceeded to attack the Espada and as they clashed, there was a moment when Emily had suddenly jumped between them. It was as if she were trying to protect her master. Simultaneously, Abarai retracted his blade and Szayel swatted the woman away. Emily flew into the air and her body struck a wall. She fell limply to the floor and the lieutenant gaped at her unconscious form. Abarai turned to his opponent and snarled, "You'll pay for that!"


	60. Expecting

**Chapter 60:**

Expecting

Heather stared off into space. She did not know what to think about that awful first impression with Kyōraku's parents three days ago. Ever since then, the captain had been acting nervous and slightly illusive around her. The young woman could not make heads or tails of what was going on with him. Whenever Heather tried to ask, Kyōraku would tell her not to worry about it. He would leave her in the office with Lieutenant Ise, who would shrug it off and return to her normal duties. However, the brown-haired woman decided to go out on a few excursions.

That day, Heather found herself wandering around the Tenth Division. Captain Hitsugaya yelled at her, snapping her out of her trance, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your captain?" "Nonsense, Captain!" Lieutenant Matsumoto defended then almost pleaded, "Heather's with you right now, so that would make it okay, right? We all need a break anyway." "Fine," the white-haired boy huffed, "But at least tell me where Captain Kyōraku is." "I wish I knew." Heather admitted softly, "He's been acting weird since his parents decided to waltz over a few days ago."

"His parents? That doesn't sound too bad." Matsumoto commented, pulling her friend to sit on the closest couch. She pulled out some sake buns and almost made it to the table with a bottle of sake when Hitsugaya snatched it away. He gave the blonde-haired woman a disapproving look. Ignoring her captain, Matsumoto inquired, "How was meeting his folks? It must've been fun." "If you call trying to stick your tongue in a piranha tank fun then yeah, it was a blast." Heather replied lowly and continued, "The last full functioning conversation we had in the last few days was when I was trying to convince him I wasn't pregnant. And his mother instigated that one."

"Why would she think you were?" Hitsugaya asked, not believing that he was involving himself in this conversation, "You don't look like you could be." "Thanks," the young woman replied and shook her head, "I don't know…I said that Shunsui's goofy personality is an attractive trait to me and that it was good for kids too. Needless to say, Shunsui just about had a heart attack when he thought he was going to be a father." Heather sighed and flung her head back. "I'm kind of scared about tonight." she added. "Oh?" the lieutenant asked, "Why is that?" "He wanted to talk with me about something." The brown-haired woman sighed again, having many thoughts run through her head. "Maybe he's going to ask you to marry him, or something!" Matsumoto laughed hysterically. "That's it, no more sake for you." Heather joked half-heartedly then continued softly, "I mean, I know he's wonderful and everything, but I can't really see him doing that." "Aw, come on! It's about time you two settled down. I mean, you're the only thing he's ever taken seriously." the blonde-haired woman pointed out sincerely.

"Not to open any awkward doors, but how would you know this?" Heather questioned and noticed Hitsugaya shooting daggers at his lieutenant. Matsumoto gave him a disdainful look before she turned to her friend and answered, "There are a lot of things about me that you wouldn't want to find out." "I could venture a guess…but I'm not going to 'cause—no." the young woman stumbled over her words after the awkward confession. The lieutenant smiled back comfortingly and concluded, "The point is: he's a romantic, you are both in love, and there's a war coming…What else is there to expect?" "It's not like he's having a baby." Heather huffed playfully. The two women laughed at the comment and Hitsugaya simply chuckled, shaking his head. "Ah, I've been reading too much mpreg." the brown-haired woman sighed causing the two officers to stare and continued, "If only Emily were here, she'd understand…" "What's 'mpreg'?" Matsumoto inclined curiously and her captain looked mildly interested.

"It's male pregnancy." Heather stated casually as watched the pair's eyes widen in shock. "What did you just say?" the white-haired boy questioned seriously, "I—I didn't hear you right." "Male pregnancy?" the young woman chuckled uncertainly, taken aback by his reaction. "N—No—Wait! Tha—That's not possible!" Hitsugaya stuttered in exaggerated horror unbeknownst to him. "Captain, it's okay." the lieutenant giggled. The Captain of the Tenth Division almost hollered, "No! It's not! I was taught that only women can have kids!" "You obviously don't know about sea horses." Heather teased watching the boy's face pale. "But they're the only ones, right?" Hitsugaya asked as if her were scared to know the answer, "Right?!" "Yes, yes. It's okay. I was just screwing with you." the brown-haired woman laughed loudly.

"That's not funny…" the white-haired boy had almost growled. "Captain, it was funny. Seeing your face was priceless." Matsumoto defended with a grin in place. "I think you've out stayed your welcome." Hitsugaya stated with clenched teeth. Heather stood up exaggeratedly and remarked, "Alright, I'll leave. Alone, with no one there. All by my little lonesome…exactly as you asked." "Matsumoto, go with her." the captain barked, "I will not be held responsible if something happens." The lieutenant jumped up and quickly made it to the door, half dragging her friend behind her. The blonde-haired woman assured, "Be back before you know it, Captain." Hitsugaya huffed and returned to his paperwork. Once the door closed, Matsumoto turned to Heather and asked, "You're a sneaky little devil, aren't you?" Heather answered with a self-satisfied smirk, "I have my ways."


	61. Where Have You Been

**Chapter 61:**

Where Have You Been

The Octavo glanced over his shoulder and spat, "Who are you?" The Captain of the Twelfth Division chuckled in response. "Me? What's the point in telling you anything?" Kurotsuchi inquired and continued playfully, "Arrancar…Arrancar…Arrancar…Espada! Interesting indeed. Hueco Mundo is a treasure trove!" Uryū Ishida inquired abruptly, "What are you doing here?" Szayel questioned the captain mockingly, "Oh? Is this Quincy a friend of yours?" "Friend?" Kurotsuchi asked and scratched his head in question, "Hmph. I don't befriend inferior creatures." As the words escaped the captain's lips, the sound of groaning came from a pile of rubble nearby. Everyone looked and someone appeared through the cloud of dust and debris. "Emily?" Kurotsuchi gaped. "M…Mayuri?" Emily asked as saw the captain and her eyes widened. Szayel looked back and forth at the two who were simply staring at each other blankly.

"Emily, come here this instance!" the Espada demanded in a harsh tone. The woman's eyes were locked with Kurotsuchi's. "Is that you, Mayuri?" she ignored her master and whimpered as her eyes began to well up in tears. "Emily!" Szayel hollered. The young woman broke their gaze and began to panic. Looking to the blue-haired man and back to the Espada in confusion, Emily had no idea who to turn to. "Emily…come here, it's all right. I've come to bring you home." the captain sounded unusually kind and gentle. Her eyes were brought back to Szayel once more as he hollered, "Quiet! Emily, come here now! This is your home, you belong here with me." "Emily, don't listen to him!" Lieutenant Abarai called out to her. "I can't believe I'm actually on that creep's side but—" the Quincy muttered to the red-haired man before calling out to their friend, "Go to him, Emily!"

"Renji? Uryū?" the young woman whispered in question. "She remembers!" Abarai cheered happily. "Of course she does, you twit." Kurotsuchi snapped. "Enough!" the pink-haired man growled, "Emily, get over here." "You stay away from her!" the captain snarled. Szayel smirked and retorted, "Very well, let's just see who she chooses. Go on, Emily, pick…your future, or your past?" The woman cringed at the Espada's words. Kurotsuchi assured, "Don't listen to him. Just come to me." Opening his arms and welcoming her, Emily smiled softly and took a step toward the painted man. The Octavo yelled, "No! He lies! He just wants to experiment on you! But I—I have taken care of you! Like you were my own…Come here."

Emily was silent. Her scrambled brain was trying to make sense of the situation. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly. When the young woman opened her eyes again, they appeared dark and sinister. Emily spoke to her master in a twisted voice, "Never." "What did you say?" Szayel inquired as his eye twitched. "Never again, you sick fuck." she replied and smiled wickedly before approaching Kurotsuchi. The woman stood before the captain with tears in her eyes and a weary smile. He simply looked at her for a moment before taking himself and everyone else by surprise by embracing her warmly. Szayel gawked at them, mouth a jar. He scowled and screamed in a rage, "You bitch! You fucking bitch! I'll kill you both!" She pulled away from Kurotsuchi but her arms still clung to his waist. Turning her head toward the pink-haired man for a good look, Emily grinned evilly and asked, "Mayuri?" "Yes, my sweet?" he replied huskily. "Kill him." the woman ordered as she locked eyes with the Octavo for one last time. The Captain of the Twelfth Division answered maliciously with a wicked glimmer in his eye, "It'll be my pleasure."


	62. Tying Loose Ends

**Chapter 62:**

Tying Loose Ends

Heather waved goodbye to the Lieutenant of the Tenth Division. Matsumoto winked and remarked, "You have fun now!" "Okay, you too?" the brown-haired woman replied, giving her friend an odd look. The lieutenant staggered away and Heather added, "You be careful getting home." The intoxicated woman waved her hand over her shoulder in response, not really caring. Heather smiled wearily at Matsumoto's antics before she entered Captain Kyōraku's home. To her surprise, the lights were off. She sniffed the air to find a pleasant scent and saw that lit candles were placed carefully around the room. There was enough lighting in the room for Heather to see a trail of rose petals on the ground. They traveled from the front door to the dining room. The young woman saw that the table was set for two. Suddenly, Kyōraku entered the room with two plates in hand.

"What's all this, Shun?" Heather asked softly catching the captain's attention. "Oh, you're early!" the brown-haired man exclaimed happily and continued, "It's okay, I suppose. Dinner is pretty much ready." He placed the plates down on the table and approached the young woman before kissing her sweetly on the cheek. Heather knew something was different about his behavior. However, she simply dismissed the inkling and sat across the table from Kyōraku. As the brown-haired woman took a bite of her meal, her eyes widened in delight. Heather had never tried his cooking before and it was delicious to say least. "I should try and make you cook more often." she commented genuinely. "Why, thank you, my dear." the captain smiled in return and added, "I'm glad you like it."

The young woman looked at him as if trying to figure him out. "Not to be a mood killer, or anything, but you're acting awfully strange. I mean, it's like you're trying to tell me something." Heather reasoned carefully. Kyōraku gazed at her seriously and cleared his throat. "Well, I had been doing some thinking, Heather." the brown-haired man clarified. She raised an eyebrow and inquired, "Oh, what about?" "After my parent's left, I had been pondering about things like the future." the captain started as he got to his feet and walked over to her side. "Shunsui…wh—what are you doing?" Heather questioned, looking him over with wide eyes. Kyōraku got down on one knee and looked into her eyes before asking huskily, "I can't imagine you not in it and…will you marry me?"

The brown-haired woman seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. It took her a few seconds to regain her composure. She bit her lip trying hard to hide her smile and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "So this explains why you had been acting so off." Heather stated before the man nodded in confirmation. He was starting to get nervous that her response was not as immediate as he had hoped. The young woman looked at the captain's expression and leaned forward, softly pressing her lips against his. Kyōraku returned the kiss and Heather pulled away from him unexpectedly and whispered back, "I do."


	63. One Happy Reunion

**Chapter 63:**

One Happy Reunion

Kurotsuchi had thrust his blade forward in a torturously slow manner. To him it was only a few moments, but for Szayel, it took eons. It was a fitting end, in Emily's opinion. As the blade passed through her tormentor's hand that was raised in an attempt to stop the assault, it tediously pressed on its course to the pink-haired man's chest. The captain, without so much as batting an eyelash, snapped the metal of his Zanpakutō, leaving a portion of the blade within the Espada. Kurotsuchi turned his back to the Octavo, making his way toward Emily. She smiled happily at her lover as he approached casually when Uryū Ishida questioned abruptly in concern, "H—Hey! Are you alright? Your Zanpakutō is broken…" Kurotsuchi rolled his eyes before looking in the Quincy's direction. He replied in a bored tone, "Hmph! It didn't break. I broke it. As long as the hilt remains intact, I can create another one. That is the penalty for disobedience." Emily chuckled softly at the blue-haired man's answer; she did not seem to mind that he was distracted. She figured she would catch his attention with another question. "What about Nemu, Mayuri?" the woman inquired with a smirk as she folded her arms across her chest.

"What about…" Kurotsuchi trailed off in thought before he began to search through rubble as if he were looking for something. The captain called for his lieutenant as if she were a lost child or pet, "Nemu! Get over here, Nemu!" "Mayuri, she can't do much of anything, look at what that freak did to her." Emily remarked as she pointed out the lieutenant's husk of a body on a slab of concrete. Kurotsuchi gave his creation a disconcerting look and spoke to the body, "Oh…hmph…you're such a pain…" "Mayuri…what are you doing?" the young woman questioned wearily but did not receive an answer as she stared at the scene unfolding. Emily, Lieutenant Abarai, and Ishida seemed unable to tear their eyes away from whatever the captain was doing to his lieutenant. Nemu suddenly sat up as Kurotsuchi exclaimed, "She is healed!" The black-haired boy was greatly disturbed by the occurrence that he had just witnessed. Ishida stammered in complete confusion, "But…? How?! How did _that_ make her better?!" Kurotsuchi seemed taken aback by the question and asked in response, "What? Wasn't it obvious? Fools…" The young woman scoffed lightly as she looked to Nemu, who miraculously seemed to be in perfect health. However, Emily had no idea how to feel about the method that revived the lieutenant. The Quincy was offended by the captain's explanation and exclaimed in reply, "Obvious?! That was just weird!"

Kurotsuchi rolled his eyes once more at the boy's comment and retorted, "Hmph. Whatever. It's a waste of time to explain my techniques to laymen." The blue-haired man then turned to his daughter and ordered, "Nemu, dig a hole here." "Yes, sir." the lieutenant responded and began to dig. Emily had her mind somewhere else as she felt the surge of two powerful spirit energies battling each other; although, the young woman feared for one in particular. "Emily, what's wrong?" Abarai called out to his friend curiously. The question seemed to not have fazed the captain and he continued to eagerly oversee the black-haired woman's progress. As the Emily was about to respond to her friend's concern, the sound of rubble shifting interrupted her. "Ta-da!" a voice shouted near the digging sight. The young woman turned to look and saw it was the two Arrancars, Pesche Guatiche and Dondochakka Birstanne. Pesche narrated to anyone who would listen, "Two-thirds of the Great Desert Brothers are back! For those of you who were wondering where we went, allow me to explain—"

Before the Arrancar could finish speaking, the Lieutenant of the Twelfth Division continued to dig. "Wait! Wait! Calm down! You don't know me, but we're on the same side! We're your friends!" Pesche attempted to halt the digging so he would not be harmed in the process. Nemu stopped and stared at the Arrancar, awaiting orders from Kurotsuchi. "They're in the way. Don't bother digging around them." the captain stated flatly. The lieutenant responded softly, "Yes, sir." "Wait! Okay! I get it! You guys just got here! That's why you don't know who we are! Then let me explain!" Pesche pleaded. The blue-haired man replied, "I know…you should be dead." As the words escaped Kurotsuchi's lips, Emily's fist came in contact with the side of his face. "Hey!" the captain yelped in surprise, "What was that for?!" "Stop being an ass! Those idiots relevant to the story!" the young woman snapped angrily at Kurotsuchi. The painted man inquired almost snippily, "Why didn't you say anything when they first appeared?" Emily raised her fist again causing the captain to flinch in fear and raise his hands as a shield, "No! I'm sorry—Wait, what did I just say?" Kurotsuchi looked incredibly confused but kept his distance from the young woman.

"Don't you get it, Mayuri?! This is war we're talking about!" Emily hollered and used odd hand motions. All eyes were on her as she caused an awkward scene. "I…I understand that but, uh…what exactly did that freak do to you?" Kurotsuchi inquired almost thoughtfully. This young woman was not as he had remembered. Suddenly, Emily grabbed the front of his haori and whispered hysterically, "I seen things, Mayuri!" "Okay, sweetheart, don't worry…we'll fix that as soon as we get home—" the captain tried to calm her down and attempted to pet her on the head endearingly when the young woman grew more upset. "Don't touch me!" Emily screamed at the top of her lungs as she shoved Kurotsuchi away from her. Everything went dead silent as the woman breathed heavily and trembled madly. The painted man held his hands up away from his crazed lover and looked over his shoulder ever so slightly to ask, "Nemu, please tell me you found what we were looking for…" "Yes, Master Mayuri." the lieutenant answered a light bow. "Excellent!" Kurotsuchi cheered and turned on his heel, completely forgetting about Emily.


	64. To Die For: Part I

**Chapter 64:**

To Die For

(Part I)

"Bastard! You dare raise your sword to Lady Harribel?!" yelled the Arrancar, Emilou Apacci. Her fellow Fracción, Franceska Mila Rose, snapped, "Stop it, Apacci! Save it for later!" "Are you insane, Mila Rose?!" the smallest Arrancar accused the tallest, "You think it's okay for that kid to raise his sword to Lady Harribel?!" "Idiot. Lady Harribel unsheathed her sword. The white-haired kid doesn't stand a chance." Mila Rose clarified and went on, "If you want to help out, get rid of these girls and go." Apacci turned to Heather and Matsumoto with an evil grin. She added, "Oh yeah. Now that you mention it…they said they'd take on all three of us." "Hmph. You have good ears. I was afraid your hearing was as bad as your face and sense of style." the Lieutenant of the Tenth Division remarked with a smirk set on her face. Heather chortled, "Damn!" "What was that, bitch?!" Apacci hollered at the lieutenant. Mila Rose ordered her comrade, "She's trying to provoke you. Don't fall for it." "Yeah, listen to the gorilla bitch." Matsumoto teased. Heather tried to stifle her laughter but it was futile.

"Whaaaaaat?! Who're you calling a gorilla, cow tits?!" Mila Rose spat in a rage. "If you're aiming to insult someone: do it right, idiot." Heather jeered before high-fiving her friend who continued smirk. The third Fracción in the group, Cyan Sung-Sun, snipped at her testy cohorts, "Stop it, you two. You're disgraceful. You're playing right into their hands. I know you can't help being stupid, but can you at least refrain from dragging me into it?" "Whose side are you on, Sung-sun?!" the two bickering Arrancar retorted in unison. "We can clobber you first if you want!" Apacci bellowed in addition. Sung-sun replied coolly, "What a coincidence. I was just thinking you two were getting in my way." "Huh?!" Mila Rose and Apacci both cried out in frustration before Heather cleared her throat. After gaining the attention of the three Fracción, did the brown-haired woman state, "Yeah, hi, I know you have more interesting things to do like tear out each other's throats but we're kinda pressed for time here." Heather executed the insult perfectly by tapping her wrist impatiently as if there were a watch on it.

On cue, the lieutenant readied her sword and commanded, "Howl, Haineko." And in an instant, Matsumoto's Zanpakutō became ash. The wind carried it over toward the Arrancars, surrounding them. Apacci reached her hand out into the dust that swirled around her and her comrades. She screeched, "What the Hell!? You must be kidding! What the Hell is this sand supposed to do!?" Sung-sun abruptly, but intentionally, tripped her cohort. "Hey!" Apacci hollered, "What was that for?!" Sung-Sun calmly explained, "Don't touch things you know nothing about! Your stupidity is breath-taking." The smallest but the rowdiest of Fracción had noticed that the Soul Reaper's blade was missing. As Apacci acknowledged this, her hand suddenly split into several gashes. "What?!" she cried out in both pain and panic. "That's Haineko's power." the lieutenant began to explain but was cut short by friend. Heather insisted, almost pleading, "Rangiku, I love you, you're great and all, but—" "But what?" Matsumoto questioned in concern. "If I hear another Zanpakutō's life story—I swear—I'm gonna' go postal and someone—somebody—is gonna' die!" the young woman fumed as she grit her teeth and clenched her fists. The Lieutenant of the Tenth Division's eyes widened as she took a step away from Heather.

The three Fracción laughed hysterically despite their trapped and alarmed state. "You!? What could you do?" Mila Rose mused humorously. The human-hybrid spoke causally, "I wouldn't take me so lightly. Even the weakest of fighter's have a bag of tricks up their sleeves…I'm just sick of hearing the long, drawn-out, and boastful conversations about powers. It's my biggest pet peeve about the whole series. If you can find out the ability in time: kudos to you." Heather gave Matsumoto an apologetic glance with a small smile. It was then when the Arrancar trio looked to each other before firing their ceros in unison. They had pushed away the cloud of ash and dashed toward their opponents. "Do you really think you could take us out with that gimmick?!" Mila Rose boasted proudly as she raised her fist to attack the lieutenant. Heather observed as her friend used her control of the ash to block the Fracción. The Arrancar had quickly dodged the seemingly harmless shield. Suddenly, Sung-sun attempted to attack Matsumoto from behind. However, the human-hybrid blocked it with her blade raised only receive a foot to the face. Heather staggered but never lost her stance. Her cheek and jawline was already starting to bruise when she straightened up. The young woman growled defiantly, "Coward! Who attacks from behind unless they were in danger of dying?!" "Heather, I got this," the lieutenant assured and continued, "Don't worry about me."

Heather smirked at the comment and replied, "As unlikely as it would be that they'd fatally hurt you, give me enough dignity to defend ya'…you're my buddy after all." The young woman held her Zanpakutō's blade down, with the fingers of her right hand cradling the guard. She lifted her weapon to level with the top of her head and remarked, "I should warn you…I never read this far. I did beat the video game though—" "You're the other one," Sung-sun pointed out softly, "The one that knows the future..." Heather lowered her blade and looked at the Fracción in bewilderment. "You know Emily?!" the human-hybrid prodded eagerly and took a step forward. "Heather, focus!" Matsumoto instructed, sensing her friend's hesitation. "We met her, or at least what's left of her…" Mila Rose informed Heather with an evil smirk in place. "What the Hell did you sick bastards do to her?!" the young woman demanded as she rose her Zanpakutō to its proper position. "Enough talk! Kill her and we'll lay her corpse at Lady Harribel's feet." Apacci ordered the others. "Stop telling us what to do!" Sung-sun snapped.

Ignoring her fellow Arrancar, Apacci raised her fist and charged at the two. She declared wickedly, "I can take you all by myself!" A giant ball of fire was then sent hurtling toward the Fracción before she was able to land an attack. The lieutenant looked to see where the blast had come from and gasped, "You!" "'Bout time you showed up!" Heather called with smirked when she saw who had come to their aid. "Hinamori…are you…alright?" Matsumoto asked with concern in her voice. "Yes." the Lieutenant of the Fifth Division replied somberly. The blonde-haired woman gazed at the lieutenant's badge her comrade wore. As if knowing the question she was about to ask, Hinamori answered, "Don't worry, Rangiku. I may be wearing the Fifth Division Lieutenant's arm band but that's a symbol of my role as leader of the Fifth Division. Not as Captain Aizen's subordinate. He is now the enemy of the Soul Society." Matsumoto muttered, "Right. I understand. Let's go!" "Finally!" Heather huffed and the trio readied themselves.

"Are you done with your boring chat?" Apacci inquired in a tone before throwing the chakram that clung to her wrist. The Lieutenant of the Tenth Division blocked the weapon with a shield of ash, sending it away. Hinamori immediately called out her Zanpakutō, "Tobiume!" And at that command, she released another ball of fire aimed toward the loose chakram. Surprisingly, the attack had no effect on the weapon and it simply returned to Apacci's wrist. "I get it. So that explosion was your power. From the looks of you, you're a lieutenant. But two lieutenants isn't much better than three to one." the smallest Fracción bragged. "Looks like this is getting serious, Heather, you better activate your Shikai." Matsumoto suggested. Letting out a dreary sigh, the young woman gave her friends a look before muttering, "You two might wanna' hit the deck…" Holding her Zanpakutō's blade down, fingers cradling the guard, she lifted the weapon to level with the top of her head yet again. However, this time Heather declared, "Prowl, Yama Shishiza." The sword in her palm began to sway and soon it picked up speed. The Zanpakutō was moving so fast, it gave off the illusion that it was spinning through her wrist. Instantly, the weapon had stopped spinning and it appeared to have completely transformed. Although, no one had time to speculate for as soon as the Zanpakutō had stopped its transformation ritual, it released a sonic boom.

The lieutenants had listened and avoided the blast by crouching. It was the Arrancar trio that was not as fortunate. They had tried to block the blast by shielding their faces, although it did not work. Apacci was sent flying off into the distance while Mila Rose held her ground and simply skidded. Sung-Sun had the most common sense and had ducked. It lasted a few moments but once the waves had subsided, Sung-Sun stood to her full height and inquired, "What kind of Zanpakutō is that?" "I don't know…a normal one?" Heather answered somewhat sheepishly. The Fracción sniggered in response. Mila Rose approached her cohort while chuckling and asked, "Do you even know how to use that big thing?" Suddenly, the human-hybrid's weapon swung full force in a counter clockwise motion. It had sent another sonic blast towards the Arrancars, who looked to one another before laughing. "That's it?" Sung-Sun asked dryly. Mila Rose chortled heartedly, "Some weapon!" "I'm so scared!" Apacci sniggered as she appeared abruptly, rejoining her trio. Hinamori questioned softly, "What are you doing, Heather?" "Wait for it." Matsumoto assured her fellow lieutenant, smirking in confidence.

Instantly, the sound of the earth trembling caught their ears but the Arrancars had no time to react. The concrete and ground beneath them came apart and was sent upwards in a current. The three were pummeled and as the earth came hurtling back down, it brought the Fracción with them. They were covered in hundreds of pounds of debris. "Alright, Heather!" Matsumoto cheered happily. Hinamori simply smiled warmly at the two beside her. "I think I'll take my chances." Heather laughed along with her friends in amusement. Although, the merriment was short lived when the Arrancars came bolting out of the earth. They looked displeased as the dirt and grime that clung to them billowed off the trio. Apacci screamed, "Mila Rose! Sung-Sun! Let's finish them off! Once playtime's over here, we can go help Lady Harribel!" "Stop trying to run the show." Mila Rose snarled. Sung-Sun commented, "You're the one who was fooling around." "But I guess—" Mila Rose started but her sentence was finished by Sung-Sun, "You have the right idea."

The Fracción charged at the three with their weapons drawn. "See ya!" Apacci grinned as they were about to land the attack; when suddenly, the Arrancars were caught by a web that seemed to appear out of nowhere. "What the hell…is this?!" Apacci demanded in bewilderment. Hinamori inquired solemnly, "Didn't you wonder how I was able to get in a hit with Tobiume? You're much stronger than me. In order to get close enough to use Tobiume, I had to use Kidō to cloak my spiritual energy so you wouldn't notice…so while I was at it, I wove a Kidō net around Rangiku and Heather. I never thought all three of you would fall for it." "You brat!" Apacci barked angrily. "Snap, Tobiume!" Hinamori declared as she snipped the net that was connected to her lieutenant's badge, causing the entire net to explode. "Are you okay, Hinamori?" Matsumoto asked with concern in her voice. "Yeah. Sorry, I've never done this before." the smaller lieutenant replied wearily. The blonde-haired woman smiled and added, "It's okay. You were great. That was Number Twelve, Fushibi, right? I've never seen such a large and complicated one before." "Yeah. I used Fushibi and Shakkahō together. Then I covered them with Bakudo Twenty Six, Kyokkō, to conceal them. Then I carefully spread it out like a net." Hinamori explained and turned back to Matsumoto to continue, "I'm so glad it worked."

"That's great, you guys, but we still got company." Heather motioned towards the plume of smoke from the explosion. "Thrust, Cierva!" Apacci yelled as she became visible. "Devour, Leona!" bellowed Mila Rose as her form appeared as well. Finally Sung-Sun came into view and declared, "Strangle, Anaconda!" "Ugh…" Matsumoto groaned. Hinamori whispered, "No way…" Heather simply nodded her head, "Not bad." Her friends looked to her in disbelief. She smiled sheepishly in return. The Lieutenant of the Fifth Division looked back to released forms of the Fracción and remarked, "I thought we nearly had them…but they're not even wounded." "Their Resurrección healed them. That's what we're dealing with." Matsumoto explained. Apacci growled, "Damn it…who do they think they are?" "I don't want to drag this out. Let's finish them off in one go." Mila Rose suggested. "I guess we have no choice." Sung-Sun added. "Quimera Parca!" Apacci exclaimed when, simultaneously, the Arrancars ripped their left arms off. Both of the lieutenants' eyes widened in horror and Heather simply cringed as the arms twisted together and formed a giant beast.

"Wh—What's…that?!" Matsumoto gawked. Apacci grinned at their expressions and explained, "It's our pet, made from each of our left arms. Its name is Ayon." The Lieutenant of the Tenth Division called out, "Heather…" "What do we do?" Hinamori inquired anxiously. "Well, fella's…I didn't read this far and the fact that three arms just turned in a monster that can fit into an Olympic sized swimming pool, tells me to do one thing: run. But that ain't gonna solve a damn thing." Heather responded in awe, but before any of them could react, Ayon charged. Matsumoto attempted to block the attack by calling her Zanpakutō but it was too late. The beast took a huge chunk out of her side causing both Hinamori and Heather gape fearfully. Ayon observed the chunk of flesh in between his fingertips and tossed it aside. Apacci grinned once more and mentioned, "Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you. Ayon's freaking strong. So you'd better watch out." Matsumoto collapsed as the words left the Fracción's lips. "Rangiku!" Hinamori screamed. Both Heather and the uninjured lieutenant attempted to grab hold of their friend's limp body. Hinamori reached the blonde-haired woman first, grabbing onto her uniform before summoning, "Bakudo Thirty Seven, Tsuriboshi!"

The three of them fell into a safety net that manifested under them. "Momo, do something!" Heather panicked. "Hang in there, Rangiku! I'll fix you up in a sec!" the Lieutenant of the Fifth Division assured. Suddenly, the two saw Ayon approaching them. They looked to another, not sure what to do. "Stay here and take of Rangiku." Heather ordered wearily before leaving her friends' side. "Heather!" Hinamori called out, trying to stop her. Ayon stopped when he saw the brown-haired woman and immediately readied his fist.


	65. Battle Ready

**Chapter 65:**

Battle Ready

Emily and Kurotsuchi were interrupted by the sound of the particularly stubborn voice of Ichigo Kurosaki arguing a once sided battle with the equally obstinate Captain of the Sixth Division. The boy was rambling on, "And it's not like I can just go whenever I want! If Urahara doesn't open the—" "Will you please shut up about Urahara, already?" the blue-haired man interjected in annoyance. Ichigo turned to face the newcomers that approached him and Captain Kuchiki. He gawked, "Mayuri Kurotsuchi! And…Emily?!" The orange-haired boy stared at Emily, who looked different than he had remembered. The Captain of the Twelfth Division, however, interrupted his curiosity and held his focus. Emily seemed to be in a daze as she simply ignored everyone around her, except for the shirtless and bloodied captain in the near distance. Captain Zaraki paid no attention to the group but instead was more interested in focusing on the released form of Yammy Llargo. The young woman felt her blood boil, knowing what he had done to the only person that had showed her kindness while in Las Noches.

"You seem unusually lenient." Captain Kuchiki observed as if he were suspicious then questioned, "Is it because of what's in that wagon?" Upon hearing this, Emily tore her gaze from the Captain of the Eleventh Division to look at the painted man. "Indeed it is. I am in a very good mood right now. Not only have I obtained some invaluable spoils of war. I have also succeeded in analyzing the structure of the Garganta." Kurotsuchi explained before his focus was suddenly averted from his fellow captain. He grinned as he reached into his haori and pulled out Emily's Zanpakutō. Approaching the young woman, he spoke gently, "I also found this for you, my dear." Emily looked to him for several moments but seemed unfazed. Before Kurotsuchi could say another word, she snatched her Zanpakutō from his hands. "Thanks." she snapped and stomped away, other things besides romance were clearly on her mind.

The Captain of the Twelfth Division stood there awestruck. He scowled in annoyance when Kuchiki inquired, "What happened to her?" Kurotsuchi groaned, "I don't know…It was the freak, it had to be that freak that she was with! He…He changed her." The three failed to notice that Emily had made her way all the way over to Captain Zaraki. She declared in angry tone, "Sail, Ryuu Unabara." A shroud of mist manifested around her and she walked clear through it with sheer determination. Ichigo noticed this and inquired carefully to the captains, "Hey…What's Emily doing?" However, it was too late. Water had collected into a giant ball at the end of Emily's released Zanpakutō. Before Captain Zaraki could even take notice of this, the ball of water was sent hurtling in his direction. Catching him off guard, it literally knocked him off his feet.

"Oh, no." Kurotsuchi muttered as soon as he caught sight of the spectacle. "What is it?" Kuchiki inquired with mild curiosity. "Hey! What gives, isn't this the desert?!" a confused Zaraki hollered. The blue-haired man explained to his cohort, "She did that to me when I upset her..." "What the hell did Kenpachi do to upset her?" Ichigo questioned, slightly taken aback by Emily's actions. As Zaraki readied himself to stand, he suddenly felt a cold and slimy metal hold his chin up. He soon realized it was the edge of Emily's Zanpakutō. She looked crazed and seemed to be growling lowly at him. Zaraki slowly moved the sword away with his hand and asked, "What the Hell are you doing?" Before the captain could react, she swung her sword. It nearly sliced through his neck but amazingly he managed to dodge it. Before Zaraki knew it, she was swinging wildly at him. The man avoided every single attack and blocked a few with his sword as well. However, the infamous Captain of the Eleventh Division never felt a fear like this before. He barely knew Emily, or what had happened to her in Las Noches, but here she was trying to kill him. "She's good, Kurotsuchi." Kuchiki commented as he watched Emily and Zaraki. "Well, she learned from the best you know…" Kurotsuchi replied smugly. "Who taught her?" Ichigo inquired dumbly causing the painted man to glare at him.

"Hey, I know you!" boomed a loud voice from seemingly nowhere. Emily froze and Zaraki's face sunk in slight relief and pity. "You're Szayel's bitch!" the giant Espada who was surveying the fight between the young woman and the captain remarked. Emily turned on her heel, her fuming gaze now on Yammy. "What did he say? I think I heard wrong…" Kurotsuchi stuck his pinky finger into his ear and wiggled it. Somehow the painted man looked angry and slightly deranged upon hearing the Espada's comment. Ichigo and Kuchiki simultaneously took a step away. Yammy paid no attention to Zaraki, who was behind Emily, trying to warn him to run, or stop his nonsense. The young woman screamed bloody murder, "Fuck you, Yammy!" Amazingly, she managed to send a water-based harpoon at an incredible speed directed at him, hitting his massive eye. "Ah! What the Hell did you do?! My eye—My fucking eye!" the Espada cried in pain, cradling his face.

Zaraki tried to sneak away as Emily blinded Yammy. Before he could get enough distance between her and himself, the young woman swirled around in a seemingly fluid motion. Emily looked crazed yet again as she pointed her Zanpakutō directly at him. "Shit." Zaraki mumbled before blocking another attack. He managed to hold her off by using his own Zanpakutō in defense. The Captain of the Eleventh Division swallowed his pride for the first time in his life and called out, "Kurotsuchi, call her off! Call her off!" The blue-haired man tuned out Zaraki's pleas because he was still mad about the comment the Espada had made. "Hey, aren't you guys gonna help him?" Ichigo asked the two captains, he was genuinely concerned for Zaraki. Kurotsuchi once again ignored the question but Kuchiki simply smirked. He answered casually, "He'll be fine." "Kurotsuchi, please! I don't feel right about fighting battered women!" Zaraki yelled as Emily broke his defense, forcing his to dodge more attacks.

Somehow, the fight made its way over to the others. Zaraki resorted to running and found his way behind Kuchiki, using him as a human shield. Emily was about to slice through the Captain of the Sixth Division to get to Zaraki, but Kuchiki stepped aside just in time. As she was about to bring her sword's blade down, a plume of smoke erupted in her face. The young woman began to stagger and her grip on her own Zanpakutō began to loosen. "Gotta' kill 'da…Za'ki…" Emily trailed off as her knees buckled and she fell face first into the sand. Zaraki was on his butt, staring at the blade that just landed between his legs. He huffed and puffed, holding his chest as if to keep his heart from exploding. "What did you do, Kurotsuchi?" Ichigo inquired in astonishment. The Captain of the Twelfth Division had finally settled down and prodded curiously, "What? I did something?" Captain Unohana instantly made an appearance and the group realized it was her doing. Kurotsuchi scowled and returned back to work.

Kuchiki questioned his fellow captain, "What was it you gave her?" "A strong sedative." Unohana replied softly. Ichigo felt bad upon hearing the healer's response and caught sight of Emily lying in the sand. The boy scooped up the young woman in his arms thoughtfully and approached the others. "I will be accompanying them." Unohana abruptly affirmed Kurotsuchi. "A volunteer test subject?" the painted man questioned and commented, "You are a capricious one, Fourth Division Captain." "Oh? I simply have faith in your abilities, Captain Kurotsuchi." Unohana replied sincerely. Kurotsuchi retorted, "Worry not. This experiment will be a success." "Oh, I'm sure it will. Because if the Garganta that you analyzed using the Arrancar scientist's data were to fail, Kisuke Urahara might never stop laughing." the Captain of the Fourth Division remarked. He glared at her and snapped, "I suggest you think well before you speak. When I said I analyzed it, that means I can shut it down anytime I want!" "Impressive." Unohana responded simply.

Emily began to stir awake in Ichigo's arms. Her eyes fluttered open to reveal the orange-haired boy smiling down at her. The young woman hollered, "What the—What the hell do you think you are doing!? Put me down!" Kurotsuchi continued to glare at Unohana, who had moved her attention to Ichigo and Emily. The boy panicked and attempted to place her down as carefully as he could while she was struggling against him. Once Emily got her footing, she shoved him. The young woman's head was still clearing up and when she saw Unohana, she nodded to her in a strange yet respectful way. The captain smiled softly and returned the nod. Emily refused to look at Kurotsuchi, for some reason. He took notice of this and as he was about to speak to her, she exclaimed, "Aizen—We have to stop him! Where's my Zanpakutō?!" The young woman looked around all over the sandy floor.

"It's over here." Kuchiki called to Emily and in return, Zaraki gave him the dirtiest look. The young woman was too fast for everyone who tried to stop her before she could harass the Eleventh Division Captain again. Emily scooped up her weapon happily and nodded at Kuchiki who looked amused. Zaraki was frozen, hoping she would not notice him. Emily suddenly saw the captain who had previously upset her and she glared at him. "I have bigger fish to fry." she remarked lowly before she turned and left the two. "What does that mean?" Zaraki asked the Sixth Division Captain who was almost grinning. "Kurosaki!" Emily hollered at the boy, who immediately straightened up in a strange position as if he were a solider and Emily was the colonel. Kurotsuchi and Unohana looked at each other almost worriedly. The blue-haired man immediately realized what he was doing and scowled before looking back to the scene before them. Emily held her hands behind her back and stood with her chest puffed out. She questioned the boy, "Do you know what were gonna' do to that traitor? That scumbag?" "Aizen?" Ichigo whispered in inquiry. The young woman shouted in response, "Yes, Aizen!" "Uh…" he trailed off with uncertainty. "Well?!" Emily screamed in his ear. Ichigo's eyes widened and he felt a surge rush through him. He answered in respectful shout, "Defeat him?!" "Not only that! We're gonna tear apart that army of his and rip him a new asshole is what we're gonna do!" Emily drilled the boy and asked, "Am I right, KUR-O-SAKI?!" "Yes, ma'am!" Ichigo yelled.

"Good! Now that you're ready for war—Isane!" the diluted young woman had finished drilling the orange-haired boy and started on Lieutenant Kotetsu. The silver-haired woman flinched instinctively at Emily's loud recognition. She couldn't help herself and replied in a soft shout, "Yes, ma'am?!" Kotetsu looked nervously to Unohana who simply nodded to her to go along with it. "I want you to stay here and help the women and tend to the children, am I clear?!" Emily inquired, still hollering in an authorative way. "Yes, ma'am!" Kotetsu answered as loud as she could. The crazed young woman turned to the Captain of the Sixth Division and snapped, "Kuchiki!" The man raised an eyebrow in return. Emily commanded, "Squash that ugly sonvabitch!" Kuchiki simply closed his eyes in response as if he did not care to answer or meddle. Emily ignored this and turned back to Unohana. "Captain Unohana!" the young woman lowered her voice only little to acknowledge her. Straightening up and placing her hand out to shake, Emily remarked, "It would be an honor to fight by your side." Unohana smiled and took the offered hand only to have her own shaken vigorously.

In the blink of an eye, Emily had turned to Kurotsuchi and swiftly grabbed him by the haori. She pulled his face to hers and smashed her lips against his, similar to their first kiss. The Captain of the Twelfth Division was blushing madly under his paint. Emily pulled away from him, leaving him somewhat breathless. "Wait for me, baby." she said huskily. "I…I will!" the painted man replied happily. Zaraki was gawking in the distance and sensed the noble captain by his side smirking. "What's with the smirk, Kuchiki?" the man snapped in a tone. Kuchiki answered softly, still smirking, "Oh, nothing…"


	66. To Die For: Part II

**Chapter 66:**

To Die For

(Part II)

Ayon threw a punch at the woman standing to face him. The instant he was close enough, she swung her blade. It came in contact with his fist, cutting him but not causing a deep wound. The creature pulled his hand back and growled at Heather. She smirked and puffed her chest in pride. Motioning for the beast to come forward, she began to provoke it. "You mad, big guy? Come at me!" she ordered as she repeated the motion that she had used to attack the Fracción. The brown-haired woman yelled, "Atta Oka!" The movements of the pendulum became five times faster and the ground shifted once more. The move had quickly buried the Ayon in not only the street but under a few of the city's buildings. Heather panted at the extreme amount of energy she had used for the attack and straightened up. She looked to the three wide eyed Fracción. "What now? What?!" the hybrid antagonized and took a step towards them. Suddenly, she heard Lieutenant Hinamori shout a warning, "Heather, look out!" The brown-haired woman looked over her shoulder to see a beam of light manifest through the debris on top of Ayon and shoot in her direction. Heather managed to dodge but was not fast enough. The edge of the Cero clipped her left shoulder.

Grabbing her arm, she hissed in pain then looked down to find the hole completely empty of rubble. Ayon was clawing his way out of the giant ditch with all his might. "Heh, you were saying bitch?!" Apacci sneered. "Five more minutes." Heather growled under her breath turning her attention back to the behemoth. She tried to hold her weapon as if it were a pole arm. The pendulum shook slightly in her grasp; the pain in her arm stung and bled profusely. Ayon had stood and threw his giant fist in Heather's direction. As the hybrid was about block the monster's attack, a long black chain with a double edged sickle at the end caught its arm. "Huh?" Heather inquired, looking around to see both Lieutenant Hisagi and Kira. They were standing in front of Hinamori but looked prepared to lend a helping hand.

"You did a good job but now you can rest." the Lieutenant of the Ninth Division assured and continued, "We'll take care of this one." Heather gave the man a look and retorted, "What kind of macho crap are you trying to pull?! We're in this together!" Apacci ordered the monster, "Ayon! Don't give them a chance to attack! Kill 'em!" The group looked to the beast to see that it did not respond to the verbal command. "Ayon!" Apacci hollered but received no response. "Kira." Lieutenant Hisagi called out to his comrade and offered, "I'll deal with this one. You help Hinamori take care of Rangiku and Heather." "I'm fine, Izuru." Heather told the blonde-haired man. "You sure you two want to get rid of me?" the Lieutenant of the Third Division inquired skeptically. "Who said I'm getting rid of you?!" Hisagi inquired back in a light snap, still holding Ayon's arm in place.

The brown-haired woman was watching the creature, not really paying attention to the conversation. She did not know what to make of the beast. It was not until the black-haired man wrapped his weapon's chain around Ayon's neck did she decide to move. Kira and Hinamori moved Matsumoto's limp body away from the field and activated Bakudō Seventy-three. Hisagi just stood and watched Ayon in order to calculate his next move. "Hadō Eleven: Tsuzuri Raiden." he summoned, causing the behemoth to spasm and collapse. "Looks like its weakness is Kidō." Heather commented with a smirk and added, "I guess this is more your turf." Immediately, Ayon threw a punch and Lieutenant Hisagi dodged it. "I could be wrong." Heather remarked almost fearfully.

The monster had stretched its legs over its head and flipped its body over before twisting its head to face his new opponent. The brown-haired woman made a face and groaned, "Ew!" Hisagi's eyes widened in horror as he exclaimed, "You're a monster!" Ayon went on to snap the thick chain of the lieutenant's weapon as if it were as feeble as string. "You broke them easily. As if to say you could have done it any time?" Hisagi questioned in shock. The beast charged and snatched the man up into his grasp. Ayon opened his mouth threateningly and Heather wasted no time in going back into battle. At the same time, Lieutenant Iba pounced, seemingly out of nowhere to attack from the opposite side. Before either one of them could react, a Cero blew away the Lieutenant of the Seventh Division. "Iba!" Hisagi shouted fearfully for his fallen friend. Heather had stopped dead in her tracks out of disbelief. Ayon proceeded to silence Lieutenant Hisagi by slamming him into the nearest building. As if that was not bad enough, the beast went on to squeeze the life out of his crippled opponent before throwing him to the side like a rag doll.

Heather snapped out of her horrorstruck stupor as she saw her friend's body fly through the air. The hybrid took this opportunity to go in for another attack. However, Ayon noticed this immediately and batted her away with a palm open swing. Heather soared through the nearest building resulting in several pieces of large rubble to almost completely bury her form once she hit the ground. Groaning in pain as she opened her eyes, the brown-haired woman thought that she had blacked out for a moment. Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of the Head-Captain making his way toward Ayon. Blasting a large hole through the monster's chest, Yamamoto remarked, "Good grief, you kids are pathetic…making me fight." His tone gave Heather goose bumps. "P—Please forgive me!" Lieutenants Kira and Hinamori apologized in unison while Heather stayed silent and tried to shake the odd feeling.

"Now, now. No time for that." the Head-Captain tutted and continued tactfully, "Instead of bowing to me, take a good look at the enemy instead." Ayon was swatting at his own wound dumbly. As if hitting the hole in his chest would force it to heal, he eventually harmed himself with his own forceful swings. Kira and Hinamori gawked at the creature's actions while Heather simply shook her head. Ayon became infuriated and screamed bloody murder. "No way…!" the blonde-haired man gasped. "Even with a wound that severe, he's still alive?!" Hinamori questioned with an equally fearful expression. Heather gazed at Ayon with pity in her eyes. She sympathized, "Poor thing…he's too brain dead to sense his own mortality."

The Head-Captain to a step forward and decided, "Hmm, it looks like it needs to be punished a little more." Ayon straightened up and howled a war cry as he attempted to attack an unmoved Yamamoto. With a single flash step, the old man was at the monster's side and grabbed his arm. The Head-Captain questioned mockingly, "What's the matter? You didn't reach me." One of Ayon's eyes swiveled in his direction as Yamamoto continued to scold, "Are you just a monster who can think of nothing but killing people? How pitiful." The monster screeched and tried to grab the old man. Before it could make contact, the Head-Captain summoned, "Ryujin Jakka, number one. Nadegiri." With a swipe of his mighty Zanpakutō, Ayon was split in half. The two halves of the behemoth's body fell to the ground but one half had astoundingly sat back up. "Good grief. Why don't you give up?" Yamamoto questioned and commented, "It's just depressing to keep attacking a pitiful beast like yourself."

Ayon attacked the old man from behind. "Is 'stop' that difficult of a concept to understand, kid?" the Head-Captain inquired as he delivered the final blow, obliterating the monster. "Kira," Yamamoto ordered, "It isn't over, keep that barrier firm." As if on cue, the trio of Fracción jumped down to avenge Ayon, charging at the old man. "Going on the offensive with an arm missing…I approve of your spirit." the Head-Captain commended the women and swung his blade. Landing his attack, the Arrancar were engulfed in flames. Yamamoto remarked solemnly, "Out of respect for that spirit, I will allow you to walk away no more than a little charred." The Fracción fell to earth as smoke billowed off of them.

The old man had made his way to the ground next to Heather and shook his head. "You should not have done that, girl. Did you really think you would have stood a chance while you were half human?" the Head-Captain questioned and pointed at the rubble trapping the hybrid. "Hadō one: Shō." he summoned and the heavy wreckage all but flew off of Heather's body. The brown-haired woman stood and smiled sheepishly at him. She defended, "I had to try something. Not everybody can pull that kind of shit like you, Sir." Yamamoto chuckled lightly at her reply. Heather caught on to what he had asked her and found something off about it. She questioned obliviously, "You said 'while you were half human' as in past tense…What did you mean?" The old man quirked an eyebrow at her and inquired, "Since when do you wear a Soul Reaper uniform, Heather?" The brown-haired woman's eyes widened and she looked at her attire, noticing how much it had changed. "Oh, my God!" Heather screamed in horror, backing away with her hands covering her face. One of Yamamoto's eyes cracked open as he cheekily asked, "Why are you so surprised? No human could have lived through that." "Emily's gonna' kill me..." she stated in defeat.


	67. Casualties

**Chapter 67:**

**Casualties**

Ichigo leapt through the Garganta ahead of the two women. "No, you idiot! I told you to only do as I say!" Emily hollered at the orange-haired boy, but it was too late. Ichigo had already attacked Aizen who in turn effortlessly deflected it. "He's not one to listen, I see." Unohana commented. "Damn, kids." Emily growled in annoyance. Aizen remarked, "Long time no see, Ryoka Boy." Ichigo was silent, stunned that his attack had missed. The former captain went on, "Nice try, but you went for the wrong spot. The back of the neck is a blind spot for every living creature. Did you really think I'd go out to battle leaving it unprotected?" Ichigo paused and stared intently at the brown-haired man. "Let me guess what you're thinking. You made a mistake. You should have attacked in Hollow form. If you'd attacked while Hollowfied, you would have been able to kill me in one blow. Well, give it a try." Aizen challenged with smirk and continued, "I'll show you how conceited it is to think so."

As if following orders, Ichigo Hollowfied and attempted to go after Aizen once more. The brown-haired man provoked, "That's it. Come at me." Emily slapped her hand against her face with frustration. The boy was shocked that he had missed his enemy. "What's the matter? You didn't reach me." Aizen mocked and continued, "Why did you stay back? If you want to hit me, you'll have to be closer. Or are you afraid to let any part of me out of your sight? That's just stupid. It only makes sense to keep your distance when you're evenly matched. Staying away from me is meaningless. Look. Like this…" In the blink of an eye, the former captain was inches away from Ichigo. He placed his fingertips against the orange-haired boy's chest and was instantly sent flying into a building from a huge blast of water. Ichigo turned to find who intervened. "Are you stupid, or something?! Why would you let your enemy get that close to you?!" Emily yelled at the teen whilst holding her released Zanpakutō.

Suddenly, something had compelled Emily to glance at the battleground. Her eyes widened upon noticing something she thought that she would never see. To her horror, it was her best friend's body strewn about the broken concrete. Emily wasted no time in getting to Heather's side. She had moved so quickly, she was sure that she had used flash step. The young woman dropped her weapon in shock and fell to her knees. She stuttered while tears flowed down her cheeks. "No! No—It can't—" Emily stammered hysterically and picked up Heather's corpse. She shook her friend's body as if trying to wake her. "Heather, why?!" the woman screamed, gathering attention from the others close by. Lieutenant Hinamori attempted to stop the escalating scene and reasoned, "Emily, you don't under—" "Shut up, Momo!" Emily interjected overdramatically. Hinamori was taken aback and looked hurt by friend's sudden outburst.

Lieutenant Kira tried to calm the hysterical woman. He explained, "Emily, please, just listen—" "Stop! Just stop! Can't you see I'm mourning?!" the hybrid screeched pathetically. Captain Komamura gave Emily a sharp look and joined the lieutenants in their attempts. He ordered sternly, "Emily, listen, you don't understand. Heather is—" The Captain of the Seventh Division could not finish his sentence before the young woman cut him off by howling and sobbing. "Why, Heather?!" Emily wept. As she demonstrated her grief for the whole world to see, the hybrid felt a hand rest on her shoulder and then Aizen's voice rang in her ears. "My original plan did not work out. So, grudgingly, I put her down myself," he started and she felt his warm breath hit her ear as he inquired, "Would you like her collar and leash?" "Fuck you, Aiz—" Emily stopped in mid scream as her eyes lit up like beacons. She had turned to look where the voice was coming from and had found Heather grinning with wicked glee.

Emily released the corpse she held and jumped to her feet. She tried to hit her friend, but Heather blocked while laughing insolently. "You sonovabitch! What the fuck wrong with you?! What is that?!" Emily demanded, pointing to the body she had dropped. The brown-haired woman straightened up and became serious. "Firstly: you had it coming for treating the people that were trying to comfort you like how you did." Emily glared at Heather as she continued, "Secondly: apparently that's just my human shell. I'm a full-blooded spirit being now. The Seireitei will never be the same." Emily smirked at her friend's comment before they both realized how quiet it was. They turned to look and found their friends gawking at them. Captain Komamura and the two lieutenants had their jaws dropped and their eyes wide.

"What happened to you three?" Heather inquired, slightly confused. Emily asked, "Heather, you've never done your Aizen voice in front of them, have you?" The brown-haired woman replied thoughtfully, "Well…I did it in front of Shunsui once. He freaked out, badly." "Well, there you go! You turned their brains to mush." Emily responded while shaking her head. Heather smiled happily before questioning her best friend, "So, do you think we should try to help stop that bastard in a basket up there?" Emily grinned wickedly and answered with a shout, "Hell yeah! Let's go kick his ass!" The two left to join the rest of the captains who were with the Visoreds and a ranting and raving Ichigo. The boy protested, "You want to fight to protect me?! What're you talking about? That's ridiculous…You're all worn out!" "What's so ridiculous about it?" Shinji Hirako inquired and explained, "Letting you fight alone would be even more ridiculous. We'd all be pissed off if you fought him by yourself. Don't try and shoulder the burden alone. Cheeky brat. This fight belongs to all of us."

Suddenly, Aizen appeared before the group. Captain Hitsugaya led the charge and the others followed after him. They left Emily, Heather, and Ichigo to watch as Aizen and Hitsugaya bantered on before Kyōraku went in for an attack. "How rude." the former captain tutted, "We were in the middle of a conversation, Captain Kyōraku." "I'm afraid I'm not a very good listener when it comes to men. I get bored just listening." Kyōraku answered with his trademark grin. Aizen glanced in the direction of the three onlookers and smirked. "Since when do you wear a Shihakusho, Heather?" the traitor asked and went on, "I didn't see it on you when I first arrived." Whipping his head around, the Captain of the Eighth Division had to see for himself. It was then, when Hitsugaya released his Bankai. "Don't be so impatient, Captain Hitsugaya…" Kyōraku warned softly, shifting his attention once again but the boy did not listen.

"If there is hatred in my sword, then I am not fit to be a captain either, is that what you want to say?" Hitsugaya asked and remarked, "It's true. I don't care if I lose my position as captain as long as I can kill you. I will come at you with everything I've got. I won't give you a chance to use Kyoga Suigetsu. Get ready, Aizen." Emily, Heather, and Ichigo were completely horrified at the scene that played out in front of them. Captain Hitsugaya attacked first, followed by several of the Visoreds, and finally Captain Komamura joined in. "Oh, my God! What the Hell are they doing?!" Heather asked in a panic. "You didn't read this far did you, son?" Emily inquired gravely. "No! You know I never went online to read the manga. What the fuck's going on?!" the brown-haired woman yelled in inquiry. Ichigo could not tear his eyes away from the fight.

Once the Visoreds had fallen, the Captain of the Second Division joined the fray. She dove in for an attack while the Hitsugaya made his move behind Aizen. The ice reached the former captain before Soifon could strike, but her attack was negated. Heather noticed that there was a shadow on the ice and noted that the Captain of the Eighth Division was nowhere in sight. She could not help but to scream, "Shunsui, don't!" Emily held her friend back before she could stop him. In that instant, not only did Kyōraku land a hit on Aizen, but Hitsugaya had run his blade through him as well. Heather looked horrified, but Emily did not look surprised. Ichigo gazed in horror at the group of captains and yelled, "Guys…guys! What the Hell do you all think you're doing?!" Suddenly, all the faces of captains' had sunk in both shock and panic. The form of what had appeared to be Aizen was now that of Lieutenant Hinamori.


	68. The Last Stand

**Chapter 68**:

The Last Stand

Captain Yamamoto stood before Aizen from within the inferno. "So you've finally joined the fray. But you're too late. You're the only captain left who can fight." the traitor mused. "I wouldn't say that!" a voice suddenly called out, taking the two aback. Emily then appeared next to Yamamoto and his eyes widened in surprise. Aizen simply smirked. Heather and Ichigo looked around to see where their loony friend had gone for they had assumed she was next to them that entire time, but it seemed they were mistaken. "Shit." the brown-haired woman said under her breath. "I didn't know Emily could take on Aizen." Ichigo commented. "She can't, you idiot!" Heather snapped before yelling, "Emily, what do you think you're doing?! Yamamoto's got this! Aizen's too much for us to handle and then there's this asshole!" The tall woman had pointed to Ichigo dramatically for effect. He whined, "Hey!" "Oh, be quiet!" Heather shouted at the orange-haired boy before returning her attention to her friend, "Emily, get over here now!"

The young woman just smirked and waved a hand at the two onlookers before getting into a stance beside Yamamoto. "This is your backup? A deranged human child? I must say, Yamamoto, you have lowered your standards significantly." Aizen chuckled to himself. Emily growled at the man, "Go fuck yourself, Aizen." "You got a mouth on you too…but if you think you can cross blades with me, let alone share a battlefield, then you are more naïve than when we first met." the traitor remarked in a low tone. Emily scowled in a rage and charged at Aizen foolishly. Before she could get close enough, Captain Yamamoto stepped in front of her and took Aizen's blade into his abdomen. The Head-Captain then grabbed the traitor's arm and declared, "Aizen Sōsuke, I have you." "Interesting. So now what? Is the arm you hold really mine?" the former captain inquired with a smirk. "You may be able to fool my eyes and hands. But there is no way I could mistake the Reiatsu of the Zanpakutō in my gut. You say that I lost my chance," Yamamoto spat harshly as he forced the brown-haired man's blade out of his stomach, "But you're wrong. Now is my chance."

As the words left the Head-Captain's lips, he released a massive amount spiritual pressure along with pillars of flames surrounding himself and Aizen. The traitor's eyes widened at the sight. Emily who was in the near distance had shielded her face with her arms. The heat and power was incredible, she could hardly bear it. "Emily!" Heather yelled as everything unfolded before her. "Ennetsu Jigoku…the entire battle has been leading up to this moment." Yamamoto announced. "So you let your subordinates get wounded so you could do this? You're a crafty old man." Aizen complemented the Head-Captain. "So what if I am?" Yamamoto asked and stated, "You and I will die together in the flames of Hell." Emily and Ichigo were going to attempt to help the old Soul Reaper, however, his response was not what they were expecting. "Stand back! You are not part of the Gotei 13. I can't let you get caught up in this." the Head-Captain explained firmly. Ichigo mumbled, "Old man…" "No, Yama!" Emily called out and tried to get closer to Yamamoto and Aizen.

"Ahhhhh…" a voice moaned and behind the Head-Captain appeared the released form of Wonderweiss. Yamamoto turned to attack the Arrancar, but his blade was stopped and all the flames in the area disappeared. "Shall I tell you?" Aizen inquired mockingly and continued, "Your Ryūjin Jakka is the strongest of the Zanpakutō. That is indisputable. In a fair fight, you would probably be more powerful than me. But by discarding everything else, and concentrating on one aspect, even the strongest can be defeated. He, Wonderweiss, is the sole modified Arrancar. And the name of his Resurrección is Extinguir. He was created to extinguish the flame of your Ryūjin Jakka. Farewell, Yamamoto Genryūsai." Wonderweiss was upon the Head-Captain, and with one swift motion, Yamamoto put a hole through the Arrancar's abdomen. "Hmph…do you think you can beat me just because I can't use Ryūjin Jakka?" the old Soul Reaper questioned and remarked, "You're naïve. So naïve it makes me dizzy. Have you forgotten that I have led the Gotei 13 for a thousand years? In a thousand years, there has been no Soul Reaper stronger than me."

Captain Yamamoto used flash step to appear in front of Aizen and swung his fist at the traitor. In the blink of an eye, Wonderweiss threw himself between the two and took the hit from the Head-Captain. As this all happened, Emily felt it was time to interfere. Heather felt it in her bones that her crazed friend was going to screw things up, but did not have time to do anything to stop her. The young woman had hurled another massive ball of water at Aizen. To Emily's surprise, the traitor dodged it and gave her a look of belittlement. She felt a spark of hatred ignite within her and she charged at the brown-haired once again. Aizen stepped out the way too easily and proceeded to taunt the young woman. "It's a shame you fell apart so easily. You could have become something of use, but look at you now…you can't even nick me." the former captain teased with evil smirk. Emily was about to scream at Aizen, when Heather called out to her for support, "Don't listen to that piece of shit, Emily!" "Yeah, he's a big jerk!" Ichigo piped in to join the brown-haired woman, who simply turned to give him a dirty look.

What was left of Wonderweiss' corpse fell to earth and Captain Yamamoto gazed sadly from above. "Poor thing. Were your emotions taken from you too?" the old man asked mournfully before acknowledging Aizen, "That was cruel of you." "Cruel? Souls that become Hollows have no meaning. They just exist to eat the souls of others. What is cruel about giving one meaning? You are the cruel one to have smashed that soul to pieces." the brown-haired man deduced maliciously and also ignored Emily, who was now silent in respect for Yamamoto. "I have no interest in your foolish arguments." the Head-Captain dismissed the deduction and landed on the ground before Aizen, "Say what you will now. But soon it will all be over." "Foolish arguments, eh? You take my words lightly…and do not listen to what I say." the traitor tutted. Yamamoto paused and looked to his opponent. He questioned, "What do you mean?"

Aizen patronized, "I want you to remember my words. I said Extinguir was created to seal your Ryūjin Jakka. By 'seal', I mean that new flames are sealed within your sword. But…is that all? There were already flames that you had released. Now where were those flames sealed?" As the old man realized what the traitor was saying, his eyes widened. It too dawned on Emily and she knew what was going happen. She cried out, "Yama!" It was too late and what was left of Wonderweiss' corpse began to swell and burst causing a huge explosion. Emily was thrown by the impact. Aizen began to lecture mockingly as the blast of power had created a crater within the ground, "You are wise, captain of the Gotei 13. If all your power were to explode indiscriminately in an instant, I'm sure you know what would happen." The traitor stood before the crater with a light smirk on his face as he saw that the Head-Captain had used his body to stifle the explosion. Yamamoto gasped for air as he struggled to prop himself up from the ground. The brown-haired man considered, "I can't believe you were able to confine the damage from an explosion that huge. No wonder you are the leader of the Gotei 13. If you hadn't absorbed the blast, your flames would have destroyed the weak barrier you created and an area many times larger than this city would have turned to ash. I am grateful, Yamamoto Genryūsai. Thanks to you, my world was protected."

"Y—you…bastard…" the Head-Captain panted heavily before collapsing. "Yamamoto Genryūsai. I won't say I won't kill you. You are the Soul Society's history itself. And you, at least, I will finish with my own sword." Aizen announced as he approached the injured old man and drew his Zanpakutō. Suddenly, Captain Yamamoto gained enough strength to grab hold of the traitor's ankle. He scolded lowly, "How many times must I tell you? Child. You are naïve. Hadō 96. Ittō Kasō." Within seconds, a huge blast erupted from the injured Soul Reaper, enveloping both himself and Aizen. Miraculously, the brown-haired man escaped the attack nearly unscathed. But before he could react, Ichigo, Emily, and Heather leapt out in front him, Zanpakutō drawn.


	69. Recovery

**Chapter 69:**

Recovery

Heather had been up all night by Captain Kyōraku's bedside, hoping for him to wake up. It was the middle of the night when all of her waiting had paid off. Her fiancé jolted in an upright position, gasping for air. "Sweetheart, it's okay. You need to lay down." the brown-haired woman coaxed the captain gently. Kyōraku looked to her before sighing in relief, "I thought I lost you..." "No, I'm fine. See, still here." Heather assured with soft smile. The Captain of the Eighth Division leaned back and smirked as he reached for his fiancée's hand. "What happened?" the brown-haired man inquired seriously, squeezing her hand softly as if he were afraid to let her go again. "Well, you and the other captains fought and beat up poor Momo, thinking it was Aizen. Then he showed up and forced you all to take a little nap." Heather filled in bluntly. "I meant by the war, what happened?" Kyōraku asked.

"We lost, Aizen's king now and we're in Hueco Mundo to be separated as slaves for the Espada." the young woman informed with a smirk set in place. "Very funny. But, seriously, what happened?" the Captain of the Eighth Division questioned, calling her bluff. "Boy Wonder Kurosaki, happened." the brown-haired woman explained, "He apparently trained for something called a 'Final Form' and wiped the floor with Aizen. The kid's at home now, but still unconscious." "Sounds about right." Kyōraku commented and looked her over before questioning, "I remember Aizen talking about you in a Shihakushō...how did that happen, dear?" She sighed. Heather was afraid that he was going to ask such a thing and replied sadly, "I was thrown into a building and half the damn thing fell on me." "You died?!" the captain gasped, sitting up once more. "Lay down, or Unohana's gonna use my head as a paperweight!" the young woman ordered while pushing him down, putting a hand on each shoulder.

"Can you blame me?!" Kyōraku defended loudly and continued, "That could have been your only life!" "Like I could help it? I can't just stand around while my friends are getting hurt. I'm here, doesn't than mean anything?!" Heather retorted. The brown-haired man seemed to have calmed down from her response. He admitted sheepishly, "You're right, you're right…I lost my head for a second. I was in no position to protect you—" "Don't beat yourself up, Shun." Heather stopped him while he was ahead and went on, "It would have happened eventually. Human life is a lot shorter and the body is too sensitive…I'm glad it worked out this way." Kyōraku was silent for a moment as he studied his fiancée. She looked him with a small smile on her face as if she were trying to reassure him. The captain gave in and smirked.

Emily awoke, and for a split second, she had no idea where she was. Her thoughts raced to catch up with what had happened. The young woman's face suddenly sunk in fear. She thought maybe everything up until now had been dream and she was back home in her world. It was then, when Emily heard a soft familiar sound. Looking around, she immediately found the source. Captain Kurotsuchi was sitting in a chair at her bedside with his arms and head resting on her legs. He was sleeping peacefully and his makeup was smeared. Emily smiled happily. Despite everything, she was glad to be where was.

The young woman caressed the captain's cheek with the back of her fingers. His eyes fluttered open in response. Pausing for a moment before sitting straight up in his chair, he cleared his throat and asked timidly, "How long have you been awake?" Emily continued to smile, she answered with her own question, "How long have you been here?" The blue-haired man blushed lightly under his makeup and looked away before whispering, "Less than twenty-four hours…" "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me…" the young woman murmured as her eyes twinkled. "Do not cry." the Captain of the Twelfth Division assured softly as he held her hand in consolation, "You're safe now." "I know." she replied and wiped the tears from her eyes.


	70. Back to Normal

**Chapter 70:**

Back to Normal

The group of four walked into Captain Kyōraku's home in a light chatter. "So what happened while I was gone?" Emily asked the group curiously. "Well, Mayuri bawled like a baby when he got over the initial shock that you were gone." the brown-haired man lightly teased. Captain Kurotsuchi looked taken aback as he hollered, "I did not!" "Aw, Mayuri..." the young woman cooed as she looked up at the painted man adoringly. He looked defeated and sighed, "That was private, Kyōraku." Heather laughed softly and sat on the couch. She exclaimed happily, "Ah! Sweet, sweet couch! Thou art comfy cozy." "Serves you right for sitting in those uncomfortable chairs for three days." Kyōraku chastised playfully as he joined her side and added, "You know that you're always welcome in bed with me." The brown-haired woman grinned at her fiancé before pecking him on the lips. She then noticed that the other couple was still idly standing by. "Sit, village idiots!" Heather ordered the two, ushering them over with the wave of her hands.

"What's that?" Emily inquired in a low, taken aback tone having seen a glint flash in the light on her friend's hand. The young woman slowly sat down along with the Captain of the Twelfth Division who already looked annoyed. Heather was confused at first and then realized what her friend was talking about. The older of the two best friends smiled widely, "You mean this?" She flashed her left hand to reveal her engagement ring. "Is that what I think it is?!" Emily questioned loudly, causing Kurotsuchi to roll his eyes and Kyōraku to smirk. "Uh-huh!" Heather replied excitedly. "And you didn't tell me while we were in the Fourth Division, asshole?!" the shorter of the two exclaimed overdramatically. "Too much was going on. I didn't want to draw attention where it wasn't needed. I don't even think half of our…wait, does Jūshirō know?" the brown-haired woman asked her fiancé. The Captain of the Eighth Division smirked and replied, "Who else would I bring with me to pick out the ring? Shirō also helped me manage to keep my mission on the down-low enough to surprise you…but of course, Rangiku found out in a heartbeat." "That sonovabitch!" Heather exclaimed, surprising everyone, "She did know something about it!" "She told you?!" Kyōraku wined miserably. "In a joking manner, but I didn't take her seriously." the brown-haired woman assured.

"Hey, assholes!" Emily randomly yelled, attempting to end the couple's conversation. To her delight, both of them looked in her direction. "At least they know who they are." Kurotsuchi stated bluntly with a smirk. "It's true, Emily. You're surrounded by assholes." Heather remarked sharply, a smirk plastered on her face. "I knew it!" the shorter of the two shouted excitedly. The entire group laughed for a little while, enjoying each other's company. As they settled down, Emily inquired in an oblivious tone, "By the way, guys, what happened?" "What?" Kurotsuchi half demanded. "Oh, Emily! You and your brain tumor." Heather chortled to herself. Kyōraku smirked slightly, but was unsure of how to react his fiancée's words. "Her what?!" the blue-haired man screeched fearfully. Emily laughed almost hysterically, but tried to become serious in order to explain to the captain, "Yeah, babe. You know, the brain tumor I've had all my life? You guys are just a figment of my imagination and I'm actually in a coma!" "Oh, that brain tumor." Kurotsuchi sneered and folded his arms over his chest. "Well, I'm glad you two got your sense of humor back." the brown-haired man smiled and put his arm around Heather. She scooted closer to him and chuckled, "Me too…but seriously, Emily. You don't remember anything?"'

Emily calmed down and smirked. She replied, "Not really. It's kinda' all fuzzy." "Wait, you really don't remember trying to kill Zaraki and ordering Kuchiki around?" Kurotsuchi gaped at the young woman beside him. Heather busted out in hysterical laughter. Kyōraku could not help but laugh as well. The mental image in their minds was too funny. "No, no, Mayuri. I remember that part, it's a little blurry, but I remember. It's the last thing I remember that confuses me…" Emily trailed off in thought. Kyōraku caught his breath and asked curiously, "And what's that?" "Going after Aizen." the younger of the two women answered simply. The room was silent and all eyes veered to Heather. She groaned slightly and questioned unenthusiastically, "You're gonna' make me talk, aren't you?" "Indeed." Kurotsuchi affirmed and the other two nodded along. The brown-haired woman sighed.

"Well, Aizen went after you first, Emily. I think he was sick of bath-time…and then Gin kinda' interrupted and took Ichigo elsewhere. And Aizen, being the dick that he is, went after me. When all of a sudden, the crazy cat-lady just fell out the sky and, um, that's it?" Heather enlightened the others and lamely ended her story. Emily was stroking her imaginary beard and looked in distance in question. She mentioned, "You know, I remember now." "Dude, you were out cold." the brown-haired woman added firmly. Emily explained, "No, I remember from the manga, not experience, fella'." The two best friends carried on their conversation for several minutes before Kurotsuchi snapped, "Okay! We get it! Can we go home now?" "Hey, now, be nice." Emily tutted the blue-haired man. He moaned, "I'm trying but you two won't shut up!" "Yeah, sorry, but I have to agree. When you two get to talking like this my head starts to spin." Kyōraku added painfully. "But we have so much to talk about!" Heather cried jokingly. Emily joined in the fake tears and remarked, "I know…but our babies need us!"

The two captains gave each other a look before the two continued on. "We must for the babies!" the brown-haired woman commented. "Tomorrow?" Emily asked excitedly. "Yes!" Heather grinned in response. "It's a promise?" the younger of the two inquired with a knowing smirk. "It's a promise!" the other woman agreed and raised her arm to come in contact with her friend's. Kurotsuchi made a disconcerting sound before having to drag Emily out of Kyōraku's home.


	71. Concern

**Chapter 71:**

Concern

Heather sat in the Sixth Division office chatting lazily with Lieutenant Abarai, whom was enjoying her company while working on his share of paperwork. Captain Kuchiki was preoccupied with his own work, listening in on the conversation and occasionally adding in a comment, or two. "Where is Captain Kyōraku, Heather?" the black-haired man inquired abruptly. "He said that Yamamoto wanted to talk to him privately and left me with Nanao. Somehow, she always seems miss the fact that I'm not there with her." the young woman replied sheepishly then proceeded to joke around, "And I decided to come here because I love you both so much that I was gonna' burst if I didn't see you fellas." "I doubt that somehow." the Captain of the Sixth Division retorted dryly.

Abarai just laughed lightly at the Heather's antics and suddenly changed the subject. He asked, "Hey, how's Emily doing?" Kuchiki's eyebrow rose with interest while watching the interaction between his lieutenant and the brown-haired woman, completely ignoring his paperwork. She frowned and shook her head sadly. Heather answered, "From the last time I seen her, she hasn't improved." "When was that?" Captain Kuchiki questioned. The young woman looked deep in thought for a moment until she answered, "I don't know…Three, four days, maybe?" "You should go see her," Kuchiki prodded, "She might need you right about now." "Yeah, you're probably right." Heather replied, wondering whether the black-haired man was being sincere, or just trying to get rid of her. The lieutenant had looked at his captain questioningly and inquired in a hopeful voice, "Sir, doesn't she still need someone to accompany her?" Kuchiki nodded and responded as he set his calligraphy brush down, "Indeed, she does."

The captain stood up and made his way to the door before he called, "Come, Heather." The brown-haired woman and Abarai looked at each other with confusion set in their features. "You don't need to do this, Captain Kuchiki. I can travel with Renji. You don't have to stop what you're doin'." Heather tried to accommodate the black-haired man's needs. "Nonsense. The Head-Captain strictly ordered for captains to look after you and Emily." Kuchiki explained simply and continued, "Abarai is not a captain. Either way, he has work to catch up on." Heather shrugged, the captain had a set of valid points and she knew that he was rule-happy enough to get technical, especially when he felt like it. "Alright, ya' got me." she answered before turning to the lieutenant and apologized, "I'm sorry, I tried. He's smarter than Tōshirō is when it comes to my plots." The red-haired man chuckled as he followed Heather's lead and politely stood up. Abarai asked, "You got Rangiku out of work?" The young woman nodded and responded proudly, "A few times."

The brown-haired woman approached the lieutenant and hugged him in a friendly manner. He returned the affection a little too willingly. "See ya' around, Renji." Heather commented obliviously before pulling away from his grasp. Abarai had a dreamy look on his face and replied, "See ya'." Captain Kuchiki raised an eyebrow at the affectionate gesture and let the young woman pass him through the doorway. He then gave his lieutenant a cold look before shutting the office door behind him with a snap. Heather waited for him patiently nearby. "Shall we?" the black-haired man inquired almost stiffly. She smiled and nodded. However, once the two were a few feet away from the office, did she ask suspiciously, "You have another reason for walking with me, don't you?" The Captain of the Sixth Division looked at her oddly and Heather felt that she should explain herself. Trying not to sound too strange, she remarked, "I know you…normally you would have just sent Renji with me, or made me stay, if you felt like getting technical. Did you start feeling antsy back there?" "You read too deep into things," Kuchiki answered evasively and added, "But I will admit that you are correct this time. I have something to discuss with you." Heather looked to the captain curiously and simply questioned, "What did I do?"

"I wanted to speak with you about Renji." Captain Kuchiki acknowledged as they walked out of the main building. "What about him?" the brown-haired woman inquired warily. He stated in an authorative tone causing Heather's eyes to widen, "I want you to see less of him." "What? Why?" she asked, completely aghast at the request. "I do not think that it is appropriate for a woman who is about to be married, to be running about the Seireitei with another man." Kuchiki reasoned. "You're one very convincing transgender, ma'am." Heather complimented sarcastically and gained an icy glare from the black-haired man. Quickly, she apologized before causing too much damage, "Sorry. You walked right into that one…I'll probably never find an opening like that again." "I'm not kidding around, Heather." the captain remarked firmly. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry, no more punches." the brown-haired woman responded sincerely and added, "Tōshirō still won't forgive me for the last time I visited…" "What happened?" Kuchiki inquired almost taken aback. "You don't want to know. Just watch his reaction the next time you bring up seahorses into a random conversation." Heather replied while shaking her head. "Seahorses? Wh—You're right. I don't want to know." the Captain of the Sixth Division answered sharply. "At any rate, Renji and I are just friends. Shunsui knows that, almost everyone knows that." the young woman argued. Kuchiki sighed at her and ordered, "You need to keep your distance."

"We're not doing anything questionable, sir…if that's what you're worried about. I'm not like that." Heather tried to reason with the black-haired man. "I'm aware of that." he replied in a tone and then motioned for her to lower her voice before they passed a group of Seventh Division members. Once the two were out of earshot did Heather inquire, "Then what's the big deal?" "He's falling for you!" Kuchiki admitted with a snap in his voice. The brown-haired woman did not expect that kind of reply and stopped dead in her tracks. Looking at the captain wide-eyed, she asked, "He's what?" "He no longer listens to me when I tell him to keep his distance from you and your displays of affection are only encouraging him." Captain Kuchiki explained the situation with grave seriousness.

Heather ran her fingers through her hair and looked distant as she tried reason, "I don't mean anything by it…I hug all my friends. It's a weird American thing. I mean, if you and I had more in-depth conversations, I'd probably do it to you too." "I'm alright, thank you." the captain declined. "I can't just tell him to hit the bricks. He's too sweet to just start ignoring." Heather rambled, having ignored the black-haired almost harsh response. "That's only a matter of opinion. I do, however, appreciate that you're considering his feelings in all of this." Kuchiki stated as if he were lost for words of guidance, or consolation. "Damn it all!" the brown-haired woman cursed aloud and hung her head glumly. "I'm sorry, but you would have had found out about his feelings sooner, or later." the captain apologized stiffly. "No, it's okay…Thanks." Heather replied and was still somewhat troubled by the news. Captain Kuchiki nodded then inquired, "Shall we continue?" The young woman nodded dumbly before they continued to make their way to Captain Kurotsuchi's home.


	72. Relapse

**Chapter 72:**

Relapse

"What do you want?" the Captain of Twelfth Division growled in inquiry at the two visitors on his doorstep. "I want to see Emily." Heather replied sharply then asked lowly, "Why else would I be here?" Kurotsuchi rolled his eyes but sighed. He mumbled, "Maybe it's for the best, she has been…acting rather odd since her return." "What do you mean?" Kuchiki questioned with concern. Suddenly, yelling could be heard from within the painted man's home along with a crashing sound. "Oh no—Not again!" Kurotsuchi groaned. He paused only for a second before finally giving in and ushered, "Quickly, come in." "O—Okay," Heather stammered as she looked to the black-haired man beside her, whom looked back at her as if they were thinking the same thing. Kuchiki tried several times to speak when he had noticed the state of Kurotsuchi's living space. The painted man noticed this and snapped, "Shut up, you! I didn't invite you in to shower me with your glorious opinions of my home." "Dude, not cool." Heather chastised the Captain of the Twelfth Division upon seeing the surprised reaction on the other's man face. The sound of yelling continued from another room, stopping Kurotsuchi's retort.

"Nemu, how is she doing?" Kurotsuchi inquired as he opened the door to reveal Emily's room, which was even worse than the rest of the house. The blonde-haired woman was rocking back and forth in a fetal position in the farthest corner of the room. Lieutenant Kurotsuchi was stroking her with the end of a broom, trying to calm her down. Nemu comforted pathetically, "It's okay…it's o—" "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Emily abruptly lashed out, and in one swift motion, she had snatched the broom away and broke it in half. The crazed young woman then threw what was left of the broom at the door and it happened to land right at Captain Kurotsuchi's feet. He sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. Heather suddenly became determined. She ordered the men beside her, "Cover me, I'm going in." The captains simply gave her a look as she slowly went in to aid the helpless lieutenant. "Nemu, it's okay. Just take a break." the brown-haired woman offered and Nemu bowed before backing away from Emily. "Hey, fella'…" Heather cooed gently to her best friend, who was grumbling incoherently to herself.

She moved slowly toward the blonde-haired woman and sat beside her. "It's me, Heather, your buddy." the older of the two tried to calm Emily down. She paused but mumbled in inquiry, "Heather?" "Yeah! That's it." Heather cheered softly, trying to encourage her friend. Emily briefly made eye contact with the brown-haired woman before continuing to stare at the wall. "You're safe, here…" Heather started gently, but then got an idea, and began to sing, "Nothing's gonna' harm you, not while I'm around." Both of the captains stared at the two women in utter bewilderment. Heather did not let that bother her as she noticed Emily was starting to join in. "Demon's will charm you with a smile for a while…" the blonde-haired woman trailed off. "But in time, nothing's gonna' harm you, not while I'm around." Heather finished with an encouraging smile. Emily outstretched her arm and bared it to her best friend. "It's a promise?" the youngest of the two asked as the brown-haired woman repeated the action. "It's a promise, buddy." she answered happily.

"What the blazes are you two doing?!" Kurotsuchi questioned loudly in an irritated voice. "Making her feel comfortable." Heather replied as her smile began to fade from her face. "Oh, I see…" Captain Kurotsuchi started simply before snapping, "Both of you are buffoons!" The Captain of the Sixth Division looked offended and retorted, "It seems to be working for something that is so apparently foolish." "Can't you be a little nicer? No wonder why Emily hasn't come back to us… you're just an asshole to her, aren't you?" Heather inquired in angry tone. Kurotsuchi stepped forward in a threatening manner and hollered, "How dare you! You know nothing about our relationship!" "She was not referring to whatever relationship you and Emily share." Kuchiki answered, trying not to raise his voice. The Captain of the Twelfth Division sneered, "Oh, I know what she meant!" "Then what, smartass?!" the brown-haired woman demanded.

Just as Kurotsuchi was about to retort, the group suddenly noticed something was amiss. Emily had left her corner and was standing up and staring at them. "Emily?" Heather inclined softly. The painted man gave Heather a dirty look before he attempted to approach Emily. He cooed, "It's okay, sweetheart…come here…" Before he could get close enough, Emily flipped out and startled Kurotsuchi so much he almost fell over. Taking lead, Captain Kuchiki assured the blonde-haired woman like her friend had, "It's alright, Emily. Lie down and get some rest." The shorter woman had surprisingly considered the black-haired man's words. She crawled onto her bed and curled up into a ball. Heather looked at Kuchiki with a smile and then went on to give the blue-haired man a dirty look. Captain Kurotsuchi scowled at the woman. He snarled and demanded, "Get out."

Heather shook her head as she left her ill friend. She called out cheerfully, "I'll be back soon, fella'." The black-haired man looked a little put out, but followed the woman after wishing Emily farewell. As the exited Kurotsuchi's home, Captain Kuchiki inquired, "Why did you give up so easily?" "I want to see Emily later and if I push too many of the Mime's buttons at once, I won't get that." Heather answered reluctantly. The walk back was slightly awkward, a question was buzzing around in Heather's head. "Why are you doing this?" she finally asked, gaining the Captain of the Sixth Division's attention, "Looking out for my wellbeing?" It took the black-haired man a few moments of deep thought for him answer, "I don't suppose you remember that day before the war when Renji asked you about your family?" "How could I forget, is the more appropriate question." Heather replied cautiously.

"The things you said gave me the feeling that you felt alone even with them." Kuchiki replied, trying as hard as he could to word what he was saying right, "Especially the comment you made about your father." Heather looked pained for a moment and replied to the comment, "If it helps, I was closer with my grandma's previous boyfriend." "And you cried on Renji's shoulder when you told us what happened." the captain responded and continued, "It's quite obvious that you need someone just to fill in where that man had left." Heather stopped for the second time that day and looked at the black-haired man. She inquired softly, "And you think you're the person to do it?" The Captain of the Sixth Division nodded and answered, "Kyōraku can't do it. He's signing up for a different position in your life. And somehow, I doubt that you had opened up to any other captain, or lieutenant for them to even consider this." Heather shook her head, confirming Kuchiki's words. "So then, I elect myself to fill in where many had failed." the black-haired had informed. "You don't know what you're signing up for." Heather stated in disbelief. "You're a little off, but not impossible." Captain Kuchiki explained and was almost knocked over when the young woman unexpectantly hugged him.


	73. Cold Feet

**Chapter 73:**

Cold Feet

Heather paced the room nervously while Emily ransacked the liquor cabinet. The blonde-haired woman attempted to comfort her friend but failed miserably. She remarked casually to the distressed woman behind her, "Aw, settle down, fella'. You're only getting married tomorrow." Heather whipped her head around and retorted, "Relax? Relax?! I'll tell you the same thing before you and Mayuri tie the knot! How do you think you'll feel then?!" Emily screamed abruptly. She was not expecting that reply and dropped the bottle in her hand. Thankfully it did not break and rolled past her feet. "What's wrong?" the brown-haired woman asked with concern. "Why would you say such a thing?!" Emily exclaimed her inquiry in utter horror. "What do you mean?" Heather questioned in an almost taken aback voice, "Don't tell me, that after all this time, you don't like him?" The blonde-haired woman sighed heavily. "I love him and all, but I'm not going to ma—" she could not finish her sentence or take the words she was about to say seriously and spiraled into a fit of laughter. Heather looked at her best friend with shock set into features. She asked with a hint of confusion in her voice, "What's so funny about that?" "Heather, come on! It's Mayuri! Don't tell me you suddenly feel for him?" Emily pro dded condescendingly. "No!" the brown-haired woman defended herself quickly, "It's not like that. I just never thought you of all people would be this…insensitive."

The younger of the two friends gave the other a look that suggested she should know better. "Heather, after all I've been through: back home and here…Sorry, but I'm out of fucks to give." Emily explained coldly and added almost in a sad way, "Plus, he's an Aries. It would never work out." Heather gave her friend a look of pity and apologized sympathetically, "Aw, I'm sorry, fella'." The blonde-haired woman groaned miserably and replied bitterly, "You're getting married to the cream of the crop and then you have all these guys after you. All I have goin' for me is Ikkaku." Heather laughed it off slightly and defended, "Oh, come on. I just got lucky with Shunsui and I don't have anyone else chasing after me." "Yeah, right!" Emily scoffed and retorted, "Did you forget about Renji and you first love, Shirō?" "Whoa! What?!" the brown-haired woman exclaimed in disbelief. "You know you'd totally do a three-way with Shirō and Shunsui." Emily playfully accused her best friend. Heather shrugged and responded simply, "Yeah, who wouldn't? But that's as far as I'd go." "Well, congratulations." the blonde-haired woman remarked, "You're officially a married man." "Huh?" Heather replied dumbly, not understanding where Emily was going with this conversation. The shorter of the two explained softly, "You know, we always joke that we're married men but now you're really going to be married and I'm still going to be a single lady." "What does that have to do with Shirō?" the brown-haired woman inquired, "I knew about Renji already, but where'd you get your information about Shirō?"

Emily chuckled and answered, "Oh, I'm just yanking your nut sack, fella'." The older of the two sighed in relief and exclaimed, "You scared the crap out of me!" "You know you want it!" the blonde-haired woman teased happily. Heather made a face and replied, "It all depends on what this 'it' is." "If you had the chance, you'd totally get with him." Emily responded crudely causing the brown-haired woman's eyes widened considerably. "That was before I jumped into bed with his best friend. Jeez, Emily. You're in one of those moods today, aren't you? You know I'm more dedicated than that." she retorted in a put out way, trying to understand her best friend's odd behavior. "I know, I know. I'm just trying to be funny and cause trouble, okay? Just let me live my dream." Emily grumbled. "I'm sorry, fella'. I'm just on edge." Heather apologized and added softly, "The last thing I need is a nightmare scenario tomorrow." "Don't worry, it'll be perfect. I won't let anything bad happen on your special day." Emily assured with a sincere smile. "Thanks." the brown-haired woman replied coolly and smiled too.

There was a short pause between the two before the blonde-haired woman suddenly jumped up in excitement. She exclaimed, "Hey! I know how to take your mind off your troubles!" "What did you have in mind?" Heather asked curiously. "Let's go round up the fellas and have some fun. Seeing how it's your last night single, you can live it up." Emily reasoned. "Oh, I don't know…What about Shunsui?" the older of the two asked uncertainly and mentioned, "You know I can't hold my liquor very well." "I do?" Emily replied with a question. "Oh, right. That was Rangiku. You wouldn't know about that." the brown-haired woman mumbled sheepishly. "I wouldn't know about what, Heather?" the shorter friend prodded with an eyebrow raised. "Well, I kinda' got depressed after you were kidnapped and went on a bender with Rangiku…" Heather trailed off in embarrassment. "Poor, fella'." Emily commented sincerely. The taller of the two made a face and added, "It wasn't pretty." Her friend rolled her eyes and assured, "It couldn't have been that bad." "Shunsui made me promise not to get loaded again." Heather replied bluntly. The blonde-haired woman's eyes widened in shock and she laughed, "Damn! What happened?"

"Apparently, I take cranky to the next level while I'm suffering from a hangover and I may have suggested a threesome." Heather answered hesitantly, anticipating an overdramatic reaction from her best friend. Emily howled with laughter causing the brown-haired woman to join in the hysterics. The younger of the two settled down and inquired eagerly, "So who did ask to be part of your threesome?" Heather hung her head and admitted almost inaudibly, "Shunsui and Rangiku." The blonde-haired woman laughed abruptly at the other's response. Emily stated simply, "Moderation is your friend, Heather." "Says the party animal from the World of the Living?" the brown-haired woman inclined sarcastically. The younger woman attempted to defend herself and remarked, "Hey now, nothing bad ever happened—" "Pfft!" Heather chortled, trying hard not to laugh. "Okay, okay! More than half the time nothing bad ever happened and when something bad happened, it wasn't even that bad." Emily concluded and mentioned, "If it makes you feel better, I will be the responsible one and make sure you drink responsibly so you can get home and get enough sleep for your wedding." "We're not pulling any of those 'Hangover' movies, are we?" Heather questioned, clearly not convinced. "God, no!" Emily exclaimed and continued, "No, no, no, no, no—" "Emily, I got it at the first 'no'..." the brown-haired woman replied seriously. "Great! Let's goooo get Rangikuuu!" Emily responded sounding strangely like a game show host. Heather sighed loudly, sounding strangely like Mayuri causing Emily to cackle obnoxiously.


	74. The Hangover: Part I

**Chapter 74:**

The Hangover

(Part I)

Emily and Heather arrived to the Tenth Division's main office and popped their heads in the doorway. Emily greeted, "Hey, guys, what's up?" Lieutenant Matsumoto immediately averted her attention from her paperwork and replied happily, "Hey, you two! What are you doing out this late?" "Better question: why are you guys still working?" Heather inquired with a smirk. Captain Hitsugaya did not bother to lift his head from his work and ordered, "Matsumoto can't come out, go back to your divisions." "Oh, come on, just this once!" Emily begged the young man. "Like I didn't hear that one before." he huffed in annoyance. "Oh, yeah." Heather laughed nervously. Emily gave her friend a look and exclaimed, "Damn it, Heather!" The brown-haired woman smiled sheepishly and Emily turned back to the captain. She pleaded, "Please, just let her out this once!" "Emily, Emily…I got this." Matsumoto stated with assurance and a smirk before she turned to face her captain. The lieutenant whispered, "Seahorses." Hitsugaya's face twisted in disgust. He inhaled sharply as he turned away and closed his eyes. "Go." the captain growled lowly. Matsumoto jumped up from her seat and almost skipped to the door. "See you tomorrow, Captain!" the lieutenant cheered as her and Emily walked out of the office. Heather hung back for a moment and asked the unhappy captain, "So you're coming tomorrow?" "Yes, Heather." Hitsugaya replied lowly, his eyes still shut tight. The brown-haired woman added cheerfully before leaving, "Okay, great! See ya' tomorrow!

"So what are we doing?" the lieutenant inquired eagerly as the door shut behind Heather. "Well, it's Heather's last day as a free woman…so you know what that means!" Emily remarked with a hint of excitement in her voice. Matsumoto looked like she was going to agree but then answered, "No." "How did I not see that coming?" Heather asked out loud to no one in particular. "Quiet, Heather, you're not helping!" Emily hushed her friend and went on to explain, "We're gonna' throw Heather a bachelorette party!" "What's that?" the lieutenant questioned curiously. Emily sighed softly and elaborated, "It's a party for Heather to live it up before she gets married." "Oh, that? Count me in!" Matsumoto cheered happily. "Sweet! Now we need to get everything together..." the younger woman trailed off in thought. "What do you mean?" Heather asked. Emily responded, "You know! We gotta' round up the fellas, gather some booze, and find some strippers!" Before the bride-to-be could protest, Matsumoto offered enthusiastically, "I know a great bar where everyone can meet us!" "And I'll handle the strippers!" Emily added evilly.

"I can't believe you all convinced me to come here." Lieutenant Ise complained as she sat down at the table with her friends. "More like: I can't believe Rangiku practically carried you here." Heather retorted as she reluctantly took a seat. "Nonsense!" Matsumoto defended herself lightheartedly and continued, "Nanao wanted to come." "Yeah, nothing says 'let's go' like kicking and screaming. Similar to the sound I made when I was leaving my place." the brown-haired woman grumbled. "Hey, man, you didn't make that much of a fuss." Emily accused and chuckled. "I may be stoic and emotionless on the outside, but I'mma crying on the inside." Heather half-joked. Everyone laughed at the two best friend's antics. Lieutenant Hinamori was the first to break the silence. She inquired softly, "What's this all about anyway?" Heather answered sarcastically, "'Tis a plot, my dear Momo. A plot to kill Superman." "Who?" Hinamori asked as if the answer had completely baffled her. Everyone laughed at the Lieutenant of the Fifth Division's reaction. Heather was the first to settle down. She commented, "Never mind, Momo. Go back to sleep." Matsumoto whined abruptly, "Don't tell her that! It took me fifteen minutes to wake her up!" The group of women laughed again in unison.

Emily felt the need to poke more fun at the poor lieutenant. She exclaimed, "Jeez, Momo! You taking some kind of sleeping pills?" Everyone's sides were splitting as the conversation began to get carried away. "N—No!" Hinamori stuttered, not understanding her friend. "Momo's a drug addict!" Emily accused on the top of her lungs obnoxiously and continued, "This is now an intervention!" "Yet we're sitting in a place that sells class four narcotics?" Lieutenant Kotetsu laughed nervously, trying to join in the fun. Heather chortled and gave her best friend a thumb's up. She chastised playfully, "Nice planning, Emily. I couldn't plan a better joke if I tried." The brown-haired woman gave Kotetsu a high five. Emily laughed at herself and snipped jokingly, "Shut up, Heather!" Everyone chuckled happily. Lieutenant Matsumoto found it was the perfect moment for them to take their first round of shots. She announced, "I don't know what you just said, but let's drink!" "Oh, Rangiku!" Emily replied happily and helped the lieutenant pass out the shot glasses. She raised her glass and toasted cheerfully, "To Heather's last day as a free man!" Everyone made a confused face and looked to one another, not understanding the joke. Heather laughed to herself. Emily playfully threatened her friends, "Just drink, assholes!" They shrugged and tapped their glasses together before taking the first shot of the night.

Some of the women in the group were on their way to being tipsy. Others were already there; although, it was only Emily and Lieutenant Matsumoto who were past that point. They had started to bar hop when Emily remembered something vital to having a successful bachelorette party. The group was on their way to another bar, when Emily screamed abruptly, "Strippers!" Everyone laughed at the woman. Lieutenant Kotetsu inquired with light concern, "What is she talking about?" Matsumoto and Emily were holding hands and jumping up and down in joy. Heather laughed nervously, "Oh, boy." "But where will we acquire strippers?" Lieutenant Kurotsuchi questioned aloud to no one in particular and received a few looks from her friends. Emily cackled and held onto the blonde-haired lieutenant for support. "I know exactly where we can get strippers." the young woman answered and her eyes twinkled evilly.

"Nemu…Nemu!" Emily called to the Twelfth Division Lieutenant in a hushed voice. A few of the women in the group were giggling and some looked unhappy as they staggered around the Sixth Division. "What is it?" Nemu asked in her monotonous tone, being the only one in the group who was completely sober. "Do you…know where Renji's place is?" Emily slurred slightly, trying her damnedest to focus on the situation at hand. "Yes." Nemu replied. The young woman covered mouth to stifle her laughter and remarked as coolly as she could, "Awesome…lead the way!" The group was now outside of Lieutenant Abarai's home. Emily staggered up to the door, while hushing the intoxicated group of women behind her. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. To her surprise, the door opened rather quickly. "Emily? What's wrong?" Abarai asked with mild confusion.

"Good evening, Mr. Abarai, can Renji come out to play?" Emily tried not to laugh during her sluggish inquiry. "Uh…Emily, have you been drinking?" he questioned in a taken aback way. "No." she replied coolly. Heather called out a little too loudly, "Lies!" Emily squinted angrily, but did not turn to look back at her giggling friends. "Uh-huh…What exactly are all of you doing out this late the night before Heather's wedding?" the red-haired man prodded, still trying to piece the situation together. "It's not important." Emily slurred and continued, "What is important is that we need you. Heather needs you." "What's wrong with Heather?" Abarai inquired with concern in his voice. "Hey, Renji, whatcha' doin? Come out with us!" Heather called from where she was in a strange voice that made it obvious that she had been drinking. The Lieutenant of the Sixth Division stuttered, "I—I don't know, it is pretty late and you are all a little drunk and disorderly." "I'm not drunk, okay." Emily stated firmly. "Ha!" Heather howled in laughter, "Good one!" "Shut up! Someone keep her quiet!" Emily barked. Lieutenants Matsumoto, Kurotsuchi, and Ise all tackled Heather which resulted in a startled cry from the targeted woman that happened to sound like Captain Kurotsuchi.

Emily stared at Abarai straight-faced and the man looked concerned. "Is she gonna be alright?" the Lieutenant of the Sixth Division looked over Emily's shoulder. "Yeah, she'll be fine, but that's all the more reason that you should come with us." the blonde-haired woman explained. "I don't get it." Abarai replied with uncertainty traced in his voice. Emily answered with a question, "Well, you don't want to be worried about Heather all night, do you? Plus it's her last wish as a free woman for you to come out and have fun with us. You don't want to disappoint Heather, now do you?" Renji blushed and trailed off in thought as he spoke anxiously, "Well, I don't know…" "Put your big boy pants on and come on out!" Emily ordered the lieutenant. "Alright, alright! Give me a minute." Abarai conceded in a flustered toneand shut the door.

The group of females plus one male now ventured to the nearest bar and took their seats at one of the tables. Abarai hesitated, but followed their lead. "Relax, Renji. One drink won't kill ya'." Matsumoto coaxed in a teasing tone. "I know, but I guess I'm used to drinking with more…men around." the red-haired man defended weakly. Heather looked around the room, then smiled as she pointed out, "Hey, look guys! It's Shūhei." The others turned to look in the direction Heather had pointed out to them. All the women greeted aloud in unison, "Shūhei!" Lieutenant Abarai groaned softly and put his head in his hand. "Hey, you guys!" Hisagi greeted and approached the table, "What are you all doing here?" Heather struggled to rise from her seat and approach the man who she hugged abruptly. "Is she okay?" the Lieutenant of the Ninth Division inquired, not knowing if he should encourage her behavior. "You remember what she's like when she's had too much!" Matsumoto remarked and laughed softly. "Oh…" the black-haired man recalled, slightly wide-eyed. "Come on, sit with us!" Heather insisted and dragged Hisagi by the hand to a seat beside the red-haired man, "Renji's feeling a little lonely." The lieutenant made a face as he sat beside Abarai, not knowing how to respond to the information he was just given. Hisagi replied, "Sure. I was gonna have a drink, anyways?" "Yay!" Heather exclaimed enthusiastically and sat beside the two men. "Hey, bartender!" the Lieutenant of the Tenth Division called, "Bring on a round of shots over here!" "Yeah!" Emily cheered along. Hisagi laughed softly while Abarai made a hopeless expression and groaned.


	75. The Hangover: Part II

**Chapter 75:**

The Hangover

(Part II)

The He ad-Captain's eyes widened in surprise as he opened the door to his office. He found a group lieutenants passed out and strewn about his now disheveled office. He saw they were not alone and walked over to what he suspected to be the culprit. "Emily, wake up." Captain Yamamoto ordered only to be ignored. "Emily," he repeated and then prodded her with the end of his cane to no avail. "Wake up!" he shouted, rousing the entire group awake. "Whoa!" Abarai groaned, sat up, and questioned, "What happened?" "This isn't my room." Matsumoto stated dumbly, looking around with confusion set in her features. "Oh, my head!" Hisagi complained then asked, "Why is it so cold?" "Emily…would you care to explain why Lieutenant Hisagi and Lieutenant Abarai are in nothing but their undergarments?" the Head-Captain demanded trying his best to stay calm. Emily was still trying to wake up. She was shielding eyes from the sunlight that shined through the large windows of the room. The blonde-haired woman explained weakly, "Well, you see, Head-Captain…we, uh, did this 'thing' for Heather and, I guess, we kinda' got carried away…" There was pause when Lieutenant Abarai was gawking at himself and asked, "Why am I in just my underwear?" "You and Shūhei were the strippers!" Matsumoto responded with a giggle before she groaned upon realizing what she had just said in front of the Head-Captain. "Where are my glasses?" Lieutenant Ise asked miserably as she was groping around the ground. "Here they are!" Isane cheered proudly as she took the glasses of her face and handed them to her friend.

Captain Yamamoto was so infuriated he could not speak. Emily suddenly felt like something was amiss when Lieutenant Hisagi inquired with concern, "Umm, guys, where'd the bride go?" "What do you mean?!" Emily asked and whipped her head around the room in a panic, searching for Heather. She struggled to her feet and looked around the room one last time before she screamed, "Oh, my God! I lost Heather!" "What?! She's getting married in a matter of hours!" Ise panicked and continued fearfully, "My captain would never forgive any of us if something happened to her!" Lieutenant Abarai stood up and pulled on a hakama that he had found lying in a heap on the floor. He commented nervously, "We gotta' find her!" "No!" the Head-Captain barked and ordered, "All of you are to clean this office immediately!" The whole group stood up without question and began to patch the place up. "Not you two." the old man pointed out both Emily and Matsumoto. "Me?" the Lieutenant of the Tenth Division asked with surprise. "Yes, you! As the ringleaders of this un-tasteful circus, you are both are responsible for finding Heather and getting her to her wedding on time…and clean yourselves up!" Yamamoto ordered the two. "Okay," Emily replied sadly. The old man huffed and turned away to approach the others.

Matsumoto inquired anxiously, "Where could she possibly be?" Emily's brain was in overdrive as she questioned out loud, "How did that movie go?" "Movie?" the lieutenant questioned with concern and continued, "Emily, I don't under—" "The roof!" Emily declared triumphantly. "The roof? Why would she be there?" the Lieutenant of the Tenth Division asked, clearly confused. The young woman announced before racing out the room, "No time! We gotta' hurry before Yama mounts our rears above his fireplace!" The rest of the lieutenants in room picked their heads up from their work and looked at the old man fearfully. "Get back to work!" Captain Yamamoto hollered and they all returned to their cleaning with caution in their movements. "Are you sure Heather would be up here?" Matsumoto questioned as she followed her friend up the stairs. "I'm positive!" Emily replied confidently as they reached the roof. "Heather should be right— here!" she announced, pushing the door open to reveal Hanatarō Yamada sweeping the floor. "Hi, Miss Emily! Good morning, Lieutenant Matsumoto!" he chirped happily. "My, Heather, how you changed!" the lieutenant sniggered mockingly. "Shut up, Rangiku." Emily spat. "Uh, I don't know where Heather is, but words been going around that you and a bunch of the other lieutenants were bar hopping all over the Seireitei last night." Yamada reported. "Shit, that's right!" Emily exclaimed. "Now he mentions it, I don't remember most of what happened last night…" Matsumoto recalled, trailing off. "The others!" Emily almost screamed and dashed down the stairs, the Lieutenant of the Tenth Division closely following behind.

"You guys! You guys! You guys!" Emily yelled down the hall of the First Division, waving her arms in the air frantically. Lieutenant Abarai turned to face the source of the commotion as soon as he walked out of the room and asked, "What's wrong? Where's Heather?" "She's—she's not—there!" Emily gasped, trying to explain. "What? What do you mean she's not there?" he questioned worriedly. Matsumoto came to a halt next to Emily, slightly flustered in appearance. She elaborated, "What she means is, Heather might still be in one of the bars that we were in last night." Abarai's eyes widened in fear and he mumbled, "Oh." "You gotta'— help—us." Emily panted. "Yeah, I'll help," the Lieutenant of the Sixth Division stated and asked, "Where do we start?" "Me and Rangiku can't remember where we went last night, so we need all of your help to find out where Heather is." Emily clarified, finally checking her breath. All of the lieutenants looked around at each other dumbly as if asking each other the same question. They began to make their way out of the First Division and discussed the number of places they could have been.

Lieutenant Ise winced at the pain in her head and remarked, "If only Nemu were here, she would know exactly where—" "Hey, Nemu, we were just talking about you!" Abarai cut his comrade short, calling out loudly and somewhat obliviously. Emily stared at the black haired woman in confusion and realized something. She inquired skeptically, "Nemu…who's, uh, house are you coming out of?" "No one's." the Lieutenant of the Twelfth Division answered a little too quickly. Matsumoto gasped and accused, "Is that Lieutenant Sasakibe's house?" "No, I don't know what you're talking about." Nemu answered shortly. "Nemu Kurotsuchi! Who programmed you to lie like that?" Emily teased somewhat seriously, putting her hands on her hips. "Master Mayuri." the black-haired woman replied seriously. "You know what, that kind of makes sense." Hisagi remarked. "Kind of…" Emily agreed, trailing off. "Oh, Nemu! Do you remember where we all went last night?" Lieutenant Matsumoto questioned, having remembered their goal. "We visited almost every division." Nemu answered honestly and everyone's faces dropped.

"Shit!" Emily cursed. Renji took a deep breath before he decided it was his turn to take hold of the reigns of this chaotic situation. He ordered firmly, "Alright! Here's what we do: everyone go to their own division and scope the area. Ask around for Heather and whoever finds her, send a Hell Butterfly to the others." "Great! Let's do this!" Emily cheered and all the lieutenants flash-stepped away. "Alright!" the blonde-haired woman stated and then shuffled about, not knowing which direction to go. She shrugged widely then let her hands drop, hitting her thighs. She scrunched her face, deep in thought. "Wait, wait… Nemu's going to the Twelfth and I'm from the Twelfth, so there's no point in going there…so where do I go?" Realization dawned upon Emily and she cried, "Oh, crap! Shunsui's going to kill me! Mayuri's gonna kill him and then Heather's going to kill him and it's going to be one giant mess that Nemu's probably going to have to clean up!"


	76. Maid of Disaster

**Chapter 76:**

Maid of Disaster

Emily knocked on Captain Kyōraku's front door which almost immediately opened. "Shunsui, I'm sorry but—" the blonde-haired woman stopped in mid-sentence and gave the man before her a look. "Who are you supposed to be?" the man inquired with an unconvinced smirk set on his face. She replied slowly, "I'm Emily…Are you okay, Shunsui? You look kind of…different." The brown-haired man chuckled and responded, "That's probably because I'm not Shunsui." "What are you talking about? You don't look like… I mean you do look like you, but just…funny." Emily tried to explain. "Well, he does get his good looks from me." the man remarked cheerfully. "Who are—Oooh!" Emily suddenly concluded, putting the pieces together. The older version of Captain Kyōraku laughed. "Hey, son, there's someone here to see you." he called over his shoulder and then looked at Emily suavely, "A lady." Emily gave the man a look as if she did not know what to think of him.

Kyōraku grumbled and took his place by the door, "Thanks, dad…Oh, it's you. What do you want?" Emily was about to give him the news, but she noticed his tone of voice and angered expression. "Nanao told you already, didn't she?" she inquired pathetically. The Captain of the Eighth Division nodded stiffly trying his best not to lose his temper. Kyōraku answered, "She told me not to worry and that half of the lieutenants are searching for her. You however—" "Shunsui, please don't kill me!" Emily pleaded overdramatically and continued, "I don't want you to die! I don't want Heather to kill Mayuri and have Nemu clean up the mess!" "W—What? Emily, what are you talking about?!" the captain half demanded. Emily tried to explain but only ended up blubbering like an idiot. As she rambled on and Kyōraku tried to calm her down, a Hell Butterfly was crawling around on Emily's head. The woman froze and asked, "Shunsui…am I going to die?" The man sighed and commented, "I might kill you, but the butterfly won't. Give it here." He pulled the insect off of her head and listened to the message. "What does it say?" Emily asked impatiently. Kyōraku took in a sharp breath and stated, "You're an idiot." "What? Who would say that?!" the blonde-haired woman questioned completely aghast. Captain Kyōraku answered with a snap, "I would. Heather has been with Byakuya ever since Momo took her there last night." "Oooh, yeah. Now that you mention it, I kind of remember that." Emily remarked sheepishly. The brown-haired man took in a cleansing breath and suggested to his fiancée's friend, "Go home and get ready. I don't want any more trouble out of you."

Emily had walked into Captain Kurotsuchi's home, looking like death warmed over. "Where have you been?! Do you realize that I was up all night waiting for you to come home?!" the painted man nagged the second he had seen her slump into the room. "For Christ's sake, Mayuri, I haven't even been home for one minute and already you're nagging like we're a married couple, or something." Emily snapped, too tired to want to put up with his nonsense. "Ha! Us? Married?" Kurotsuchi retorted and laughed with amusement in his voice. Emily glared daggers at him and grumbled, "Ha-ha, very funny." The blonde-haired woman turned from him to walk away. "Wait! I'm sorry!" the captain apologized as he tailed after her and continued once she stopped, "Please don't be mad. I love you." Emily sighed in frustration slowly giving into the man's apology. "You're a very interesting specimen." Kurotsuchi remarked and she made a face of disappointment.

The oblivious Captain of the Twelfth Division failed to notice and explained thoughtfully, "What I mean is…I quite enjoy experimenting on you…I would like to continue experimenting." Emily snorted with laughter and covered her face with her hands. "There, there, don't cry. I know it's a lot to take in." Kurotsuchi attempted to comfort her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Emily exclaimed, pushing him away, "No, you idiot! I'm laughing at you!" The blue-haired man cocked his head back in confusion and let go of the woman. He demanded, "Why would you say such a horrible thing?!" "Because you said a horrible thing to me!" Emily defended herself. The captain scoffed and stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "I thought it was quite lovely." "By saying that you want to experiment on me?! You don't experiment on the ones you love! Unless we're having sex, or something, but I don't see that happening!" Emily retorted maliciously. Kurotsuchi scoffed and yelled in retaliation, "I am a very busy man! You don't know what I have to deal with!" "Oh, my God, Mayuri, I was just trying to be mean because you were pissing me off, but now you're just getting annoying. It's always like I'm walking on eggshells with you." she snapped and continued sadly, "You're no fun anymore..."

A servant showed Emily in and led her to Heather's room. "Oh, there you are." Heather stated happily. She was already in her dress and having her hair styled, the Captain of the Sixth Division had just walked into the room with a knock announcing his arrival. His eyes narrowed slightly and a frown formed on his face. Emily averted her gaze from the icy expression and turned back to Heather and remarked, "I lost my mind trying to find you, fella'." Before Heather could reply, Captain Kuchiki retorted coolly, "You are the Maid of Honor, why did you feel that you had to look for her? You should have, if anything, thought more responsibly with the position you had been given and have been the one to take Heather here, not Lieutenant Hinamori. Let alone thought to make this escapade a day, or two, before her wedding." "Byakuya, it's okay. Emily was just trying to help me relax." Heather defended her best friend softly. "And did she?" the black-haired man asked, closing the door behind him. Heather thought for a moment and nodded. She answered simply, "As weird as it sounds, yes. Not only that, but I realized something…even with all that commotion and excitement going on, I missed Shunsui's presence. Strange, huh?"

Kuchiki's shoulders sagged slightly. He knew he was beat here. "No, it's not," he sighed and continued, "I think it means you're ready." Heather sat up straighter and looked at him almost dumbstruck and then smiled softly. Emily looked at the noble to see a sliver of a smile on his face which he quickly shook it off. Captain Kuchiki commented, "I just wanted to come in and inform you that the groom and his family had just arrived." "What do you think of them?" Heather asked seriously. The Captain of the Sixth Division took a deep breath and responded carefully, "Let's just say I'm glad I met him first." Heather laughed and Emily chuckled. Kuchiki turned to Emily and inquired, "Where are the other bridesmaids?" "Around, I guess. Mayuri and I just got here." the blonde-haired woman replied with a distant look. "And how is Mr. Mime doing?" Heather asked, sensing her friend's mood change. "Eh, he nagged me like a woman as soon as I walked in the damn door, but…he tried to be 'nice' and kind of fell flat." Emily explained sadly and continued, "We 'made up' and all, but I'm still kinda', well, you know." Heather shook her head in disgust and replied, "Why, Emily, why would you put that image in my head?" Captain Kuchiki scrunched his face in repulsion and opened the door, leaving without a word. Emily and Heather began to laugh hysterically, lifting both their moods instantly.


	77. New Beginnings: Explanations

**Chapter 77:**

New Beginnings

(Explanations)

Everyone made their way to Kuchiki Manor for the wedding in the garden. As all the guests were patiently waiting in their seats, the music started playing. Everyone stood and turned to witness the bridesmaids and the groomsmen come down the aisle. Nanao Ise and Captain Kyōraku's brother, Hisoka Kyōraku, were the first to make it down the aisle. The second pair was Rangiku Matsumoto and Shūhei Hisagi. The third was Rukia Kuchiki and Mayuri Kurotsuchi. The groom stood at the altar before the Head-Captain, smiling nervously. "Breathe, you look blue." Yamamoto whispered to him with a light chuckle in his voice. Kyōraku took a deep breath and smiled in return. Emily and Jūshirō Ukitake made their way down the aisle as the Maid of Honor and the Best Man.

Heather sighed as she watched everything arrange together from her spot in the back. She looked to Captain Kuchiki whom stood right next to her. "Are you alright?" he inquired once he noticed her gaze. "I am and I'm not." the brown-haired woman replied. Kuchiki sighed in relief and mentioned, "That's normal. I take it you're wondering if you will be any good for him, if this relationship will last." Heather nodded while looking ahead and swallowed hard. She added, "If we'll stray along the way, if we are the type of couple for kids." "I have known Captain Kyōraku for most of my life and I have never met a woman that he had taken this seriously, Heather." the black-haired man stated firmly, then continued with assurance in his voice, "His past relationships were always fleeting and meaningless, but you he wanted from the beginning; predictable for him. When Tōsen took you under his wing, Kyōraku had a chance to get to know you first. When he asked for you once again, the other captains and I should have seen this coming. As for children, they'll come up eventually."

Heather sighed happily, her doubts were slipping away. She whispered gratefully, "I don't know how I'd do this without you." "You would have," the Captain of the Sixth Division affirmed and added, "Granted that it would have been more dramatic, emotionally tiring, and probably not as scenic as this." "Can I help that you're an awesome ham?" the bride asked smugly. Kuchiki chuckled lightly and Heather's jaw dropped. She shook it off almost as quickly as he had when the flower girl, Yachiru Kusajishi, announced that she was next before happily skipping out. The two straightened up and the captain offered Heather his arm, which she took. She took a deep breath and Kuchiki guided her into the aisle. Her eyes landed on Kyōraku and she felt herself melt. As she got closer, her heart beat quickened. What felt like hours, but was only a few seconds, they were already right next to the alter. The black-haired man kissed Heather on the forehead and guided her to her groom before walking over to his seat. The two had looked each other in the eyes and the Head-Captain started to recite their vows.

"If there is any reason that these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace." Captain Yamamoto announced and the two mentally cringed at the thought of someone shouting out any form of objection. Heather looked over to Captain Kuchiki, whom was looking in Lieutenant Abarai's direction, daring him to speak. The red-haired man shifted in his seat uneasily, trying to pointedly ignore his captain's gaze and kept his eyes forward. "Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Yamamoto declared and continued, "You may kiss the bride." The couple obeyed a little too willingly and pulled away smiling brightly. Heather and Kyōraku turned to face the crowd to be greeted by a wave of applause. The brown-haired man offered his arm to his wife and guided her down the aisle, away from the alter.

The newlyweds walked around the tables and greeted their guests accordingly. The brown-haired woman had noticed where her best friend was sitting and went to go see her then she noticed a snag in the plan. "Shunsui, who did the seating arrangements?" she asked wearily. "My mother, why?" he answered. Heather had pointed in the direction of the table she was going to talk to. The captain's face paled and his jaw dropped. He mentioned, "Oh, my God, we got to fix that." Heather gave her husband a perplexed look as she questioned, "Is it really _that_ terrible? What happened between those two anyway?" Kyōraku made a noise that sounded as if he were hesitating to answer the question and suggested, "Maybe you should ask Retsu that question…Mayuri wouldn't give anyone a story that's believable." The woman looked genuinely confused but recommended to her husband, "Perhaps you should flag somebody down that would be willing to trade places so we don't have to witness the inevitable carnage. I'll try and diffuse the tension." "Have fun." the brown-haired man stated before retreating to search among the guests. Heather gave him a curious expression before turning to the table. "Hey, gang! What's up?" Heather greeted purposely getting in between Captains Unohana and Kurotsuchi whom were sitting right next to each other.

"Heather!" Emily chirped happily. Heather looked to her friend, noticing she was the only one there that seemed relaxed with the seating accommodations. "How's everyone doing?" the bride asked timidly. The blonde-haired woman was about to speak in reply but Lieutenant Sasakibe had cut her off, "Not all that great." "Yes." Lieutenant Kurotsuchi agreed. Heather looked over to Lieutenant Kotetsu whom gave a nervous nod in confirmation. "Don't worry guys! I sensed the problem with the seating arrangements and I realize that it wasn't the best of choices." the bride stated, then turned to the two captains and asked, "Which brings up a question that has been bugging me like forever: what happened between you two that makes you both hate each other so much?" Unohana looked disinterested in the question while Kurotsuchi was more than eager to explain his side of the story. The blue-haired man started snarkily, "It all started when Captain Unohana, your 'saint'—" "I wouldn't go that far, but she is pretty awesome." Heather interjected with a smirk towards the Fourth Division Captain. Unohana gave the brown-haired woman a sarcastic smile. "I'm telling the story!" Kurotsuchi snapped and continued, "Anyway, Unohana had been pining after me ever since I had become Captain of the Twelfth Division and Head of Research and Development…I eventually gave into her feminine wiles and we had gone out for some drinks. She turned out to be rather clingy and unbearably boring, so I dismissed myself to the bathroom and never came back. Ever since then, she has been crying over what could have been."

By the time he had finished, Heather was just about leaning on Captain Unohana's chair, unable to keep her balance while laughing so hard. Emily was laughing into the crook of her arm while pounding the table with her available hand. The three lieutenants tried their best to keep from laughing as well, while the Unohana simply smiled casually in his direction. She inquired softly, "Really, Captain Kurotsuchi? I remember quite differently." "What really happened?" Heather asked the black-haired woman beside her. "I told you what happened!" Kurotsuchi exclaimed. Emily stopped him by offering in-between giggles, "Honey, honey…no. Just stop." The blue-haired man scoffed and folded his arms over his chest. "Well, to correct Captain Kurotsuchi's amusing, but false story…he had been stalking me for quite some time before I had confronted him about it. It seemed flattering at first, but was starting to reach unhealthy stages. When I spoke to him about it, he barely mustered enough courage to speak to me face-to-face, let alone ask me out for an evening." the captain explained before hanging her head slightly as she continued, "What a disaster…he was almost snobbish and chauvinistic the whole night. The next day, I pretended not to know him in hopes that he would get the hint that I was not interested. Unfortunately, that didn't work. Some nasty things had been said and we never got around to forgiving each other for it."

"That's slander and you know it!" Kurotsuchi exclaimed angrily. "So, freakin' shot in the dark: would you be able to forgive him even if he summoned the willpower to apologize to you first?" Heather inquired abruptly, interested in the outcome of this conversation. "I did nothing wrong!" the Captain of the Twelfth Division defended, taken aback. Captain Unohana gave Heather a look of disbelief and stated bluntly, "I don't think I can." Kurotsuchi was about to retaliate when the groom approached the table, stating, "Hey, I found a couple people that are willing to move. Who's leaving?" Kurotsuchi exclaimed as he stood up and grabbed Emily's hand, "We are! Come on, dear, we're leaving."


	78. Honeymoon

**Chapter 78:**

Honeymoon

The newlyweds had finally made it to their hotel. The bell boy showed them to their honeymoon suite and then he had left with a smile in Captain Kyōraku's direction. He remarked, "Have a good stay." The couple looked at each other only for moment before collapsing onto the closest thing which happened to be the king-sized bed. "We're finally here." Kyōraku sighed happily and looked to his wife. Heather chuckled lightly. "Yeah." she agreed and looked back at him. He smiled his usual goofy grin and leaned over to give her a soft kiss. Heather smiled and returned the affection. The captain reached over, pulled his wife closer, and she held him tenderly. Suddenly, the brown-haired man rolled on top of her and ground his hips against hers, not tearing from their lip-lock. Heather groaned, unable to contain herself.

The mood had come to an abrupt halt when there was a knock at the door. The Captain of the Eighth Division stopped his advances and yelled over his shoulder, "We didn't ask for anything!" Just as he was about to turn back to Heather, the knocking had grown aggressive and unceasing. Kyōraku's shoulders sagged and a half-annoyed growl escaped his lips. "Is it an American custom to treat their guests like this?" he asked as he got off the bed. "No. I never went to a place that would do this." the brown-haired woman responded, sitting up. "Don't worry, I'll get the door. You just stay pretty." Kyōraku told her charmingly before he left her side to answer the door. Upon opening the door, the Captain of the Eighth Division had to dodge a cork from flying in his direction. "Surprise!" two voices yelled in greeting from the doorway. Kyōraku inquired in surprise, "What are you two doing here?!" "It was all her idea." answered the voice of the Captain of the Twelfth Division.

It was then when Heather saw her best friend zip past her husband. The blonde-haired woman raced over to the end of the bed before belly flopping onto the mattress where Kyōraku had occupied not too long ago. "'Sup?" Emily asked casually as she adjusted into a sexy position. "I've just been cock-blocked." Heather replied and continued, "You know I love you, fella', but what are you doing here?" "Mayuri had vacation time!" Emily responded happily with a wide grin. "So you decided to join Shunsui and me in our bed on our wedding night?" Heather questioned slowly. "Indeed!" the blonde-haired woman replied mimicking Captain Kurotsuchi's voice. "Stop that! None of that now!" Kurotsuchi snapped, poking his head into room. Heather noticed he was not wearing his usual getup and looked somewhat normal. It was then when an idea popped into her mind.

"Shunsui, threesome!" Heather shouted suggestively causing Emily to quite literally fly off of the bed. "I'm out!" Emily declared as she fled the scene. Kurotsuchi was left standing in the doorway looking at the two dumbly while the newlywed couple stared back at him. "Well, Mayuri, are you in or out?" Kyōraku asked with an eyebrow raised in the man's direction. The Captain of the Twelfth Division looked startled at the question as he nervously clung to open and fizzing bottle champagne. He answered uneasily, "We'll be staying in the room across the hall. Goodnight." The blue-haired man grabbed the doorknob and slammed the door shut before Kyōraku had a chance to react. "That was easy." he stated happily before turning and asking, "Now, where were we?" Heather gave her husband an innocent look and replied, "I don't know, Shun. Maybe you can come here and remind me?" "Oh?" Kyōraku questioned as he sauntered over to her until he was close enough to lean over. The two touched noses and the woman tilted her head, pressing her lips against his. The Captain of the Eighth Division had smiled against her lips and deepened the kiss. He had used his weight to his advantage and leaned over her, pushing her to lie down. The two parted lips and the brown-haired woman remarked seductively, "I remember now."

Kyōraku raised an eyebrow and huskily stated rather than asked, "Do tell." He started kissing a small trail down his wife's neck. Heather wordlessly opened his shirt causing him to grin softly. The brown-haired man muttered against her skin, "Oh, I see where this is going." "Mhm." she purred and ran her fingertips over his chest. The captain hummed at her touch before leading her to sit up once more. Kyōraku kissed her lips while slithering his hands around her to unzip the back of her wedding dress. Heather shuddered with anticipation, feeling him searching her back for the bra that was not there. He chuckled softly once he realized that his wife had thought ahead. The young woman reached up and pushed his shirt off. She whispered in his ear, "I'm wearing a matching set." Kyōraku's eyes widened before he grinned ear-to-ear. "That just made my job a lot easier." he commented before claiming her lips once again. The captain brushed the straps off of her shoulders and proceeded to assist Heather out of the unnecessary clothing. Kyōraku watched as the dress fell off and pooled around her ankles. His mouth nearly watered at the sight. His wife wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips met. Kyōraku's hands searched her naked body as if trying to memorize each and every curve. Heather's knees grew weak but she did not want to tear away from this. As if on cue, the Captain of the Eighth Division swiftly picked her up by her backside and instinctively, her legs wrapped around his waist. Kyōraku carefully laid her back on the bed and reached to undo his belt, roughly pushing down his pants.

Foreplay was the last thing on either of their minds, both already knowing that the other was painfully aroused. Kyōraku grabbed his aching member and slowly pushed himself inside. Heather moaned loudly from underneath him and he kept still, but only for a moment before he slowly started to thrust his hips. She moved slowly under him, matching his pace, groaning every so often. Those very sounds drove the brown-haired man wild as he started to move a little bit faster and harder with every thrust. The couple started to lose control, breaking out of their rhythm to move wildly against each other. Suddenly, Kyōraku pulled out of Heather and flipped her onto her stomach. He grabbed her hips and brought them closer to him to quickly reenter her from behind. His wife gasped at the feeling of this position. "Shunsui!" Heather gasped loudly, feeling his hands guide her movements. Soon the brown-haired man felt himself begin to spiral out of control as thrust into her with wild abandon.

Her climax finally hit her with full force and her pleasure-filled scream was muffled by a pillow. Kyōraku's head was spinning as his body went stiff and after a few more thrusts, he released a strangled cry as he came hard inside of her. The couple panted heavily, riding out their waves of ecstasy. The captain pulled out of his wife and lay down onto his side, waiting for his wife to get comfortable. "How does it feel to be Mrs. Kyōraku?" he asked suavely. Heather smiled at him before replying softly, "Amazing." She yawned suddenly and snuggled in closely to her husband whom wrapped his arm around her waist. Before the two realized it, they had fallen asleep.


	79. Hawaii: Part I

**Chapter 79:**

Hawaii

(Part I)

"Heather! Shunsui!" Emily called to her friends while knocking on the door to the honeymoon suite. Heather groaned audibly from within and Kyōraku inquired through the door, sounding somewhat put-off, "Yes, Emily?" "Are you guys busy?" Emily asked through the door. "Not anymore." the man replied with hint of disappointment in his voice. The blonde-haired woman stepped aside as Captain Kurotsuchi knocked obnoxiously on the barrier. "Get out of bed, you two! It's noon!" the blue-haired man hollered. The door opened to reveal a slightly annoyed-looking Captain Kyōraku. He was dripping wet with a towel hanging over his shoulders and a pair of swimming trunks hanging loosely around his waist. "We just got out of the pool, if you must know…where were you two?" the Captain of the Eighth Division questioned with an eyebrow raised.

Kurotsuchi's face reddened at the question and he proceeded to answer the other man in a series of stutters, "I—I, well, you see—she—I mean, Emily—" Meanwhile behind the blue-haired man, Emily was moving her arms back and forth while thrusting her hips towards her partner. Kyōraku made a face and the Captain of the Twelfth Division spun around. "Stop that! You're not helping!" he snapped at the woman. The brown-haired man walked away, annoyed and slightly disturbed. Heather passed him by with a look. She asked, "What's wrong?" Captain Kyōraku motioned towards the door. Heather looked and found Emily holding Kurotsuchi around the waist, laughing into his chest. "What's so funny?" the brown-haired woman asked with a hesitant chuckle, unsure of the situation. "Emily was performing one of her…wonderfully inappropriate dances." Captain Kurotsuchi answered and patted the top of the blonde-haired woman's head. "Heather! Shunsui's face—Priceless!" she gasped in-between laughs. "Aw, he never saw it coming." the taller of the two best friends joked playfully. Emily settled down and remarked, "We're hungry. Wanna' have lunch with us?" "Well, we haven't eaten since last night. What do you think, Shun?" Heather questioned casually. "I lost my appetite." the Captain of the Eighth Division replied as he walked into the bathroom with a change of clothes. "You broke my husband." the brown-haired woman accused, playfully aghast.

After some convincing and a promise to behave, Kyōraku joined his wife and friends for lunch and sightseeing. They exited the lobby to the front of the hotel to find a valet waiting for them with a car and a set of keys. "What is this thing?!" Kurotsuchi half-demanded, almost appalled. "It's a convertible, Mayuri." Heather informed as she unbolted the hood of the car. "A—A what?" he asked, stammering with confusion. "A rental car, dear." Emily answered as her friend put down the top of the convertible. Kyōraku tipped the valet and took the keys. Emily puffed her chest out and smirked as she announced proudly, "Alright, guys, I got this." She motioned for the keys smugly. The brown-haired man replied and swished the keys between his fingertips, "I don't think so." "Do you even know how to drive?" Emily questioned with laugh. "I've been alive for over a thousand years and you think that I don't know how to drive?" he inquired with an eyebrow raised and a light laugh in his voice. "Yes." Emily stated bluntly and continued, "Considering that you're a spirit being in the Soul Society were everybody walks." "Point well made." Kyōraku replied. "So give them here!" Emily demanded as she reached over to snag the keys out of his hand. He lifted his arm quick enough to hold it out of her reach. She jumped up and down trying to grab them. The brown-haired man smirked as he remarked, "Just enjoy the view. I heard that Hawaii has beautiful scenery."

The Captain of the Eighth Division dodged young woman and walked over to the driver's side of the car. Emily sighed in defeat and grumbled, "Alright. Get in the back, Mayuri." Kurotsuchi gaped at the blonde-haired woman as she opened the door for him to get in first. He screeched, "You want me to get into that contraption?! With Kyōraku driving?!" "Hey!" the driver snapped and glared at the blue-haired man. "It's been inspected and deemed safe, Mayuri. Now get in." Heather assured as she pulled her seat back wide enough for him to get in. The Captain of the Twelfth Division grumbled as he climbed into the vehicle and sat down. Emily joined him without any hesitation. "Alright, where to?" Kyōraku asked once Heather was in her seat and buckled up. The brown-haired woman shrugged and turned to the back seat while asking, "What are you two feeling?" "Cramped." Kurotsuchi muttered under his breath. Emily added while patting the blue-haired man on the shoulder playfully, "Ignore him. He's got plenty of room." "Not used to a car, eh, Mayuri?" Heather inquired with a smirk. She never thought she'd see the day when Mayuri Kurotsuchi would get nervous over machinery. "Shut up!" the captain in the back seat snapped.

Emily ignored her partner's grousing and asked, "How about TBK?" Heather shook her head and replied, "No Taco Burrito Kings on this island, fella'. But I know of a few good Mexican restaurants." "How do you know these things?" Kurotsuchi prodded irritably. "This is the place I called 'home' in my early childhood." Heather replied happily. "Alright, point me in the right direction, dear." Kyōraku responded and turned on the engine. "Well, first we have to leave the parking lot." Heather joked. Emily giggled while the Captain of Eighth Division turned to his wife and remarked sarcastically, "Thanks, I was completely lost for a second." Heather gave her husband the directions to nearest Mexican restaurant and the ride was rather fast. They chatted a little bit on way. Kurotsuchi kept asking about the food they were going to eat and Emily had to keep reassuring him. Kyōraku was not worried at all, trusting his wife. They pulled to a little dine-in restaurant and got out to car to go inside. They were seated and looked at the menus. Captain Kurotsuchi kept making faces at the pictures of the dishes on the menu. Emily had to guide him, with some help from Heather, who also aiding her husband.

"How's everyone today? Are you all set to order?" inquired a waiter that came up to the table dressed in an authentic Mexican costume. Everyone except Kurotsuchi ignored the waiter's outfit. He just stared rudely causing Emily to nudge him the ribs. Heather ordered first, "We're fine, thanks. I'll have the beef tongue burrito plate with a coke." The blue-haired man made a noise of disgust, causing everyone to freeze. The waiter simply glanced in his direction, unsure of how to react. Kyōraku shifted the attention to himself and ordered, "And I'll have the same thing." "Alright, and for you, miss?" the waiter asked while writing the orders down, ignoring the faces Kurotsuchi was making.

"I'll have the steak burrito with no beans or sour cream. And coke please." Emily ordered happily and handed her menu to the waiter. "And for you, sir?" the waiter inquired a bit hesitantly. The Captain of the Twelfth Division gave the blonde-haired woman a look before sighing. He mumbled, "I'll have what she's having." "Very good. Your food will be ready shortly." the waiter smiled and took the all menus before leaving the table. Everyone scolded the blue-haired man once the waiter was out of earshot. He defended himself and demanded that he did nothing wrong. The three dropped it and just carried on a different conversation while Kurotsuchi sulked. Emily hugged her partner's arm while she added to the conversation about where they were going to go after they ate. The food was brought to the table in a timely manner. Everyone but the blue-haired man looked hungry and eager to dig in. He simply grimaced at his food, ignoring how wonderful it smelled. Everyone prepped their dishes and took their first bites.

Heather ate hers and enjoyed it thoroughly, it was like she was home again and walking down memory lane. Kyōraku took an experimental bite and made a surprised sound before continuing his meal. Emily was busying herself by eagerly finishing her first meal in the World in the Living since she arrived to the Soul Society. Kurotsuchi, however, just stared blankly at his food. This soon caught the attention of the people around him. They all just stopped eating and looked at him. "Just eat your damn food, or you're not eating anything for the rest of the day." Emily warned the blue-haired man in a motherly tone. He complained, "But, Emily—" "No buts, mister!" the blonde-haired woman cut him off. The captain sighed in discontentment and replied childishly, "Fine." Both Heather and Kyōraku stared at each other at a loss for words, silently asking each other what had just happened.

Kurotsuchi took a bite and his eyes widened considerably. "How…is this so good?" he questioned before attempting to devour the entire burrito as quickly as possible. It had not taken long before everyone was almost finished with their food. Kurotsuchi had noticed something peculiar about Heather's dish despite the obvious oddity in her choice of food. Her plate was completely spotless while everyone else's plate was covered in grease and food that had fallen out of its wrappings. "Tell me, Heather, how do you live with yourself?" he questioned abruptly. Emily and Kyōraku gave him a dirty look while Heather looked amused as she inquired, "What do you mean by that, Mayuri?" "You seem proud of the fact that you're completely out of the norm in an almost freakish manner." the blue-haired man answered. The Captain of the Eighth Division was about to defend his wife until he heard her giggle, "It took you this long to figure it out?" "I'm serious!" Kurotsuchi snapped and pointed out, "You're the only person here that has an immaculate plate!" The three laughed at the Captain of the Twelfth Division while he continued to make a fuss.


	80. Hawaii: Part II

**Chapter 80:**

Hawaii

(Part: II)

The group of four friends were now half way through their vacation/honeymoon. Heather had been talking about a special beach since the first arrived and today they were finally going. The brown-haired woman was excitedly talking to Kyōraku in the hallway outside of their rooms as they waited for the other couple. Emily was waiting outside of the bathroom for Kurotsuchi to hurry and finish getting ready. She had her arms folded across her chest as she tapped her foot angrily on the ground. "Come on, woman! We don't got all day!" Emily yelled at the captain through the door. "Shut up! I'm going as fast as I can!" he snapped from within the bathroom. The blonde-haired woman walked over to hallway door and opened it. Heather was wearing an excited expression but it changed when she saw her friend was alone. "Sorry. I don't know what he's doing. He's probably trying to get his mascara perfect or something. What for, I have no idea. I told him we're going to the beach, not the mall." Emily remarked as she used her hands for emphasis. "I heard that!" Kurotsuchi hollered. Kyōraku chuckled and Heather groaned irritably before she suggested, "Just tell Barbie to put everything in her man-purse and let's be done with it."

"I'm ready now, so you all can shut up!" the Captain of the Twelfth Division growled as he approached Emily from behind. She moved out the way so they all could get a good look at him. He was covered from head-to-toe with sunscreen and his skin had a glossy finish. He wore a grey undershirt and khaki cargo shorts over his purple swim trunks. He wore women's flip-flops and had pink sunglasses hanging from his collar. To top it all off, he had a big straw sun hat on his head. Quite literally, the three busted out laughing after taking it all in. He scowled angrily before picking up a nearby beach bag and walked over to the elevator. Emily gasped for air she ran over to Kurotsuchi who stood waiting for the elevator. She wrapped her arms around him and tried to stop laughing. "Babe, babe, don't be mad." the blonde-haired woman consoled her partner poorly.

Heather was about to say something when Kyōraku gave her a warning look. He knew his fellow captain would spoil the trip to the beach if he got too upset. Heather just smiled in her husband's direction before she helped him carry the rest of the beach stuff over to the elevator. They were silent as they approached the two. Emily was whispering sweet nothings to the blue-haired man, making him smirk and relax. The other couple could have sighed in relief. Instead, they all entered the elevator door that opened before them. Emily offered to carry some of the load as they got out and walked into the lobby. As the four passed through, Kurotsuchi received looks from passersby. Thankfully he did not notice because Emily was distracting him. Heather smirked silently as she observed this. She thought to herself that despite fact she did not like the captain her best friend was dating, they did look cute together. The brown-haired woman was glad that things ended up working out in Emily's favor.

Kyōraku drove the car for a good while before they finally arrived to the special beach. They marveled at the scenery as the pulled into the lot. Quickly, they got out the car and stretched. The group ran over to the best open spot they could find after they got everything out of the trunk. Emily was the most excited. She quite literally ripped off her clothes and sandals, throwing them to the sand. The blonde-haired woman barely cared that sand beneath her feet was actually scorching as sprinted to the water. She was so fast that she looked like a red blur because of her red bikini. Kurotsuchi dipped his sunglasses as he watched his partner dive into the ocean like some kind of giant fish. He smirked slightly as he watched her surface and flip her hair in a less than attractive way. "Well that was unexpected." the brown-haired man chuckled as he helped his wife set up their spot. Heather was smiling happily, enjoying the breeze. Emily's behavior did not surprise her one bit. "Considering her Zanpakutō and the fact she barely left the pool at the hotel? No." the blue-haired man remarked smugly.

Kurotsuchi helped the couple finish when he started to remove his flip-flops. "Mayuri, watch out for the sand." Heather warned casually like she did not care if he listened or not. "What do you mean? The sand is—hot!" the Captain of the Twelfth Division screeched as soon as his flesh came in contact with the burning sand. Emily laughed at Kurotsuchi as he rushed over to the water to join her. Heather shook her head and her husband chuckled, "Next time tell him when you're wearing sandals." "There's no fun in that." the brown-haired woman smirked evilly as she dropped the covering that concealed the bottom of her pink and green floral pattern bikini. Kyōraku smiled at her as he realized they almost matched his pink floral swim trunks. "Now where did you get that?" he asked playfully. "Gift shop." she replied before she gave the brown-haired man charming look and walked away casually. The captain laughed to himself before finishing up and joined his friends.

"Are those real?" Kurotsuchi inquired dumbly as he gawked at the fish around him in the waist deep water. Emily laughed again and remarked jokingly, "There's fish here?!" Heather chuckled softly as she approached the two with little plastic tubes. "Here take these and feed the almighty, weather-controlling fish." she stated almost seriously as she handed them the fish food. Emily giggled, taking the food, "I get that reference." "I know you do, asshole." the brown-haired woman teased her friend and smirked. "Shut up! You're scaring the fish away!" Kurotsuchi snapped at the two best friends as he started to sprinkle the food into the water. Emily smiled sweetly at the blue-haired man, finding his behavior cute. Heather smirked uneasily, looking for her husband who was approaching them. She handed him some fish food and the brown-haired inquired, "What's up?" "Uh…" his wife trailed off, looking to the other captain. "They're nibbling on my fingers!" Kurotsuchi almost giggled, ignoring everything else. "Oh." Kyōraku remarked, aware now of what Heather meant.

It was dark by the time the group of friends returned to the hotel. It had been a long and fun day at the beach. They were all ready to go bed as they dragged themselves to their rooms. On the car ride home, Heather had noticed something off about the Captain of the Twelfth Division. He seemed upset about something and she not sure until she said goodnight to her friend. Emily gave the brown-haired woman a look as if asking her stay. She about to ask what was wrong when Kurotsuchi called for the blonde-haired woman to hurry up. "Night, fella'." Emily sighed sadly before turning to leave. Heather smirked warily and remarked, "Good luck."


End file.
